Portal: Transitions
by Esperwen
Summary: [sequel to 'Portal: Arrival'] Deniizu, Pooriin and Michiko are back! They've passed their ninja exam and are now genins. Everything seems to be going fine...until they're seen coming back into our world.
1. Day 28: New travellers

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, a Dairy Queen blizzard, a pansy, glowing lights, a mustache, or a forehead protector. But that would be nice...one of these days, I'm getting a forehead protector.

* * *

Denise sat on the tour bus, idly plucking at her violin's strings. Our brown-haired, green-eyed old friend had Michelle sitting beside her; the long, black-haired girl had been writing in a little cloud-decorated notebook; now she yawned and glanced at her watch.

_I hate Monday mornings, _Denise thought, settling back into her chair.

"What time is it?" asked Corey, who sat in the seat behind them.

In case you forgot, Corey is an Irish 15-year-old with shoulder-length, wavy/curly brown hair. Taller than both the girls, he was the gentleman Nazi, in a passive-aggressive type of way.

The three of them, plus about 60 other students from their school, as well as their teachers, were on their way to a nearby city for a pre-winter holidays music concert. Denise and Michelle played violin, and Corey was a cellist, so all were part of at least one ensemble that would perform.

"It's 10:43," a man's voice said.

The students looked up and saw their school's music teacher, Ionel. The short, rather rotund Romanian man looked fairly stressed. And no wonder.

"We are running behind schedule," Ionel said, in his thick accent, "The buses can't drive through all this snow. We may need to check into a hotel while these blizzard lasts."

Denise and Corey looked out their windows. Neither could see much; it truly _was_ a blizzard.

"Oh," Michelle said, frowning, "Where are we?"

"Not even out of the _city_," Ionel said, shaking his head. And then stumbling when the bus suddenly started moving again.

_**"Ionel."**_

The strings teacher removed the walkie talkie that had just alerted him and was on his belt, and pressed the 'transmit' button.

"Yes, Stan?" the balding man asked, referring to the school's band teacher.

_**"We have to pull over the buses. The snow is too much."**_

Ionel sighed and put a hand over his eyes before affirming the other man's choice, and walking back down the bus' aisle.

_These kids are getting more and more active, being trapped in the bus. They need to be let out in the open and get rid of all this energy, _Denise heard Ionel think.

"Hey," Denise whispered to Michelle, "Do you think we'll make it?"

"Was the bus problem _your_ doing?" Michelle asked bluntly.

"A little. It's easy slowing down the bus with..._it_," Denise whispered, referring to her telekinesis, "But the snow helped. Well? Will we make it?"

"It's close," Michelle answered, "But I think so."

"What's close?" Corey asked.

He leaned on the back of Michelle's chair so that it ended up horizontal, and Michelle was lying down, looking up at him.

"I'm too lazy to explain," Michelle said, closing her eyes.

"We mean, will we make it before totally going insane because of all these stupid people," Denise growled, as a crumpled ball of paper flew by, almost hitting her.

"Sorry!" a boy's voice said, from somewhere in the back of the bus.

"I bet you're not," Denise called back.

Michelle straightened her chair, and put her notebook into her backpack.

"We'd better get ready to leave," Michelle said, "We're pulling over soon."

And then they stopped driving, and...

A little while later, all 62 students and both music teachers were standing in front of the motel, Wayside Inn, in the snow, and listening to instructions the band teacher was giving them. They had signed in, with the hopes that the weatherman did not lie again, and the storm would truly move on by the next day. The skinny band teacher droned on, and Michelle had a problem.

"It's freezing," Michelle shivered; cold weather had never had a special place in her heart.

"Frigging pansy," Corey said, checking to make sure the teachers weren't looking their way; if one of them saw students talking, there might be trouble. But the three friends were at the back of the crowd.

"Do you want my coat?" the teen offered.

"No," Michelle said calmly, though she was shaking from the cold.

"Why not? I won't get cold. Well, I will but I won't feel it," the elder brother type of Nazi said, shrugging.

"Right. The laws of Physics don't apply to you," Denise said, grinning.

"Hell, yes!" Corey said, making a Nazi salute.

Denise laughed aloud and copied the salute. Michelle looked at her friends with a half-smile and shook her head. Corey glanced at the teachers who were still talking, then turned back to Michelle.

"Hey, what's Van Zulen been saying? I haven't been listening."

"Chinatown is nearby, so we can go there to spend the day," Michelle answered, teeth chattering, "Don't terrorize the town, be model students, et cetera and so forth. Ugh, it's COLD!"

Hearing all the other students talking and moving, Corey and Michelle looked at the crowd.

"We've been dismissed," Denise said, turning to her friends, "So. Where to?"

"I'm gonna go back to my room; I need to get something," Corey said, already turning to leave.

"Oh. Ok," Michelle said, "We should be in Chinatown. Probably in a manga store."

"Ok," Corey said, nodding and walking off.

"What time is it?" Denise hissed urgently.

"11:46," Michelle answered, "C'mon, let's go!"

Both girls took off at a run, but not totally unseen.

_What were you two _really_ trying to make it to?_ Corey thought, following the girls silently.

Though the boy was tall, and he had a black trenchcoat, he was a good stalker; the girls didn't notice him. But there was someone else following.

_Oh no. I forgot to give Michelle her rosin back, _Ionel thought, slapping his forehead, _Huh, there's Corey. I'll see if I can catch up to him too. He's been skipping class._

With that thought, the man adjusted his violin case so it was strapped properly onto his back, and followed Corey.

Stalkers! Too many stalkers!

Pauline sat in the giant bonsai tree, waiting. Well, not really sitting. More like hanging from her knees with her head hanging down. Her long, black hair almost reached the circular stream that flowed around the tree's base, she noticed. Feeling so much blood in her head made the 15-year-old girl pull herself up into a sitting position on the tree's branch; she couldn't breathe being suspended like that.

"My hair's still not as long as Michelle's," she thought out loud to herself, "Hers is long enough to trail in the water. ...or maybe that's because she's just taller..."

As Pauline was homeschooled, and she lived within walking distance from Chinatown (where the greenhouse was located), she usually arrived first. Michelle and Denise still had to skip school in order to get to the greenhouse at the right time, so the three girls had agreed to meet at the tree first before all entering the parallel world at the same time. Soon, Michelle and Denise _did_ arrive; Pauline looked up as she heard the door open. Both girls seemed a little breathless; Pauline guessed that it was almost the end of the time limit.

Over the past few months of world travelling, the girls had noticed that the greenhouse only existed for one hour; between 11am and noon (what they had done was hide Michelle's camera on the roof of the store which was opposite the greenhouse. After setting the camera to 'video', they had taped to see how long their portal was visible).

"What time is it?" Pauline asked, jumping down from the tree.

Michelle glanced at her watch as Denise pulled her coat off and threw it onto the ground.

"11:56. Whew. That was too close," Michelle shook her head, taking off her own coat and brushing snow out of her hair.

"Why are you so late?" Pauline asked, surprised.

"We found it hard to get out of that music trip," Denise explained, removing her coat and dropping it by her backpack, "It's snowing really heavily now, so I think we got away without being seen."

"I am _so_ glad Christmas break is in a couple weeks," Michelle sighed, rubbing her eyes, "Are all the arrangements made for that?"

Pauline and Denise nodded.

"My parents think I'm staying at your place for the holidays," Denise said, walking by the greenhouse door.

"My mom's leaving the country," Pauline said, "So she think's I'm staying at your house too."

"And my parents think I'm on a field trip," Michelle said, nodding, "Good. That gives us a bit over two weeks to stay in Konoha."

Michelle and Pauline joined Denise at the door. Though the building seemed to be made of glass like a normal greenhouse, the girls couldn't see through the windows. Instead of the outside, they all saw white light; not bright or blinding, just sort of glowing.

"Are you ready?" Denise asked, looking at her friends.

"Totally," Michelle grinned, and Pauline nodded enthusiastically at her side.

"Let's go," Denise said, and all three girls pushed the door at the same time.

Not that they're all too weak to push a door open themselves. They're into the teamwork thing...

_A greenhouse? What're they doing, growing weed? ...How come _I_ can't help? _Corey thought, seeing the two girls rush into the greenhouse.

After hesitating for a couple moments, Corey walked down the alleyway slowly, deliberately, until he stood right by the 'glass' structure. As the boy was about to open the door, he heard his name called. Turning quickly, he saw his teacher.

"Ah, Corey," Ionel said, panting, "I need to talk to you. Where are you going?"

"I'm following some people," Corey said, opening the door to the greenhouse, and holding it for is teacher. Little did he know that at that exact moment, the three girls had just opened the door and activated the portal on the inside.

"I see, I see. Oh, this is a nice place!" Ionel exclaimed, stepping into the greenhouse and looking around, "Wow. And it's so warm, too."

"Um, yeah," Corey said, rubbing a temple with one finger.

_Damn Hitler mustache, _Corey thought, meaning the little patch over the middle-aged man's upper lip.

"...Corey, there is no-one in here," Ionel said after a moment.

Corey nodded; he had been looking around too. Michelle and Denise were no-where to be seen.

"That's a little screwed...I saw them walk in," Corey said, walking to the tree that was in the centre.

"The two girls. Yes. Yes, me too," Ionel nodded, putting a hand under his chin and following the tall boy.

As Corey trailed a hand in the circular stream, both looked up at the tree. Corey froze, and Ionel jumped towards the tree and tapped the trunk excitedly.

"Look, Corey! Our names are here! Wow...That's incredible! Look, look!"

_This man is much too happy_, Corey thought, but he was still shocked; he reached up and touched his name to make sure it was really there.

"Wow. I have to tell Michelle about this. She likes these strange things," Ionel beamed, "Come on, Corey, help me find them."

"Um...ok," Corey said, shrugging.

Ionel led the way to the door, with Corey close behind, and pushed the door open. As soon as they had stepped out of the doorway, both froze. Suddenly it was the evening. Corey looked around wildly, blinking at all his surroundings, then turned to rush back into the greenhouse. But the greenhouse was no longer there; somehow the two men knew that it was called the Hokage's building. Ionel had frozen, staring at the alien place that he had just found himself in, then turned slowly.

"Holy shit!" Corey exclaimed, running a hand through his hair, "Where the hell are we? And..._what the fuck_?"

Looking down, Corey had seen that his clothing had changed. He wore flowing, robes fashioned like those of the Hyuuga clan, but black, not white, and he felt when touching his hair the forehead protector that was now there. Ionel also looked down, still stunned, and saw that he was wearing the typical grey outfit that Sound nins usually wore, complete with the ruff around the collar. Ionel touched his own forehead protector, and somehow he knew that it was of the village of Leaf, like Corey's; reaching behind to feel what was on his back, Ionel felt his violin and bow were strapped directly on his back, instead of on a case.

_To take out quickly if in need of a fight..._he thought, still not knowing how he knew these things.

"Korii," Ionel said calmly.

Corey stopped scratching the back of his head (which he usually did when stressed), and turned to face his teacher.

"...That's my name," Corey realized, "It's...Hyuuga Korii."

"It is...and mine is Inel," the man said, "I'm your...sensei."

Korii closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Let's sit down somewhere, Korii," Inel said, putting a hand on Korii's back and pushing him to get him moving down the road, "Let's see if we can sort this out."

* * *

A/N: See, I told you Deniizu, Pooriin and Michiko would be back! Now post! And if you have to flame, make sure it's constructive flaming. No spam. Spam is bad. Bleh...I don't even like eating spam... 


	2. Day 29 to 30: Korii and Inel

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, an apartment, a mark of 100 percent, a weapons store, or the Three Musketeers, nor do I play violin on the street. Mainly because I can't play violin...

* * *

Meanwhile, after going through the greenhouse doors, Deniizu and Michiko had found themselves back on their balcony, and after sharing a smile and a nod, Deniizu walked straight into their apartment. The small dwelling hadn't changed too much; on the shelf there were a few pictures and ornaments, and the four dogs all needed feeding bowls and things, but since the girls usually spent time outside and didn't have much money to spend, the walls were still fairly bare.

Michiko, instead of following, turned and looked at the balcony's eastward view. She could see Pooriin's house not too far away; the younger girl lived over the sweet shop that her mother handled.

_It's the 28th night_, Deniizu said, using her telepathy as she set up her sleeping mat.

_I know_, Michiko thought back, _The month is almost up; the final exam is coming soon._

_That sounded like a movie preview or something, _Deniizu said, chuckling, _Final Exam, coming to a movie theatre near you._

_Now _that_ would be a freaky movie_, Michiko thought, laughing as she entered the apartment.

"We'd both better get some sleep," Michiko said, petting the four puppies that were asleep in separate, but closely clustered baskets, "Iruka-sensei has been giving us tests every day now; he's more worried about the students passing than the students themselves."

"At least he isn't fussing over _us_ anymore," Deniizu said, "Remember the first quiz we did? He was so worried that we might fail."

"Yeah, I remember," Michiko grinned, fixing her sleeping mat, "There was a six-way tie for perfects; Shino, Sakura, Sasuke, Ino, you and me. ...anyways, so long as we keep getting perfects, he'll stay off our backs, and that means-"

"I hear you," Deniizu yawned, "Stay healthy and get enough sleep; I know. G'night."

"'Night," Michelle said, stifling a yawn, then she crawled into bed.

I'm sleepy...should get some sleep...

The girls had already figured out a 'daily' routine; Michiko always got up before dawn, so she would wake Deniizu up in time to get ready for school. Deniizu would get ready while Michiko ate breakfast/walked the four dogs/just...sat...there..., the younger girl would grab a box of Pocky, and then they would leave for school, meeting up with friends as they walked the dogs.

The four puppies that Michiko had found were now permanent installments to the two girls' home. The grey, black, brown, and mottled dogs were named D'Artagnan, Aramis, Athos and Porthos respectively. D'Artagnan (the grey one) was the most outgoing of the dogs, black Aramis was the smartest, brown Athos was the slowest, and largest, but the strongest, and mottled Porthos was the trickster. They were still pups, and four of the students' best friends, but they also could fight as well as those of the Inuzuka clan; Michiko and Deniizu trained with them too.

Speaking of the Inuzuka clan, remember what was written before? How Pooriin's clan (the Chatora) and Kiba's clan (the Inuzuka) had a rivalry between them? The three portal-travelling girls knew who Pooriin was, of course, as did Shino, who walked Pooriin home every day, and Hinata, who was also a close friend. But Kiba didn't know; Pooriin had made sure to keep it secret. And of course Naruto didn't know because...well...Naruto's special.

Moving right along, both Michiko and Deniizu would walk the dogs, with their friends, to the ninja academy. Then, Kiba and the girls let their dogs stay outside in the yard, while the 12-year-olds all learned about the wonderful world of jutsus, local history, different kinds of weapons and their uses, and so on. And then their afternoon would be an hour of lunch, then two hours of physical training with Sasuke and Shino, two hours of tutoring from Sakura and Ino, and then the girls would work, all the while with the dogs as companions.

Michiko had managed to keep her job in the manga store, as cashier, book arranger, inventory, and cleaning up after hours on some days. Deniizu had found a job in the local music store, where she took care of different instruments, filed music, and acted as a salesperson; occasionally she would play from a borrowed violin in front of the store to attract customers.

By the time their shifts ended, it was already evening. On weekdays, they would go home and do extra training or studying, but that would be fine since their friends would visit them while they worked. By nighttime, they ended up simply going to bed.

So, now you know how their days usually go. Now, the 29th day that the girls spent in Konoha was a Monday, so you know what's going on with them, pretty much. The real questions here concern Inel and Korii.

We have male portal-users now! Yay!

On that Monday morning, Korii stepped out of his home. Yes, his home. He was part of a very obscure branch of the Hyuuga clan, so with the new clothes came new eyes, which were now white, and a new family, which was a mother who was always working at a small vegetable stall, and a father who worked at one of the local weapon stores.

_What should I do today?_ Korii thought, ambling down the road at an easy pace, _I could help 'father' out at the store, I could go train, or I can visit the main house to let them know that I'm here. God, I'm so confused. This is that Naruto world that Denise and Michelle are always going on about. And I'm in it; I'm part of an important family in it...shit, I almost hate these weird memories that keep coming into my head. But they help._

Korii kept brooding, trying to figure out what to do with himself, and then chose a destination.

_I might as well visit the main house; I can train there. It'd be something to do._

Now to Ionel...

Inel was also walking down a road that morning, trying to sort his thoughts and new memories out.

_I'm here because I need students for my new team, _the man thought, walking down the road at a determined march, with his hands clasped behind his back, _The exams for the new ninjas is in two days. For now, Korii and I are on holiday until then. After the exams, all the other...what is the word? Jounins. All the other jounins and I can examine the...genins while their parents are greeting them after they pass. Then I must report to the Hokage, and he will give us our teams. ...I'm one of the best teachers here, next to Ebisu, so Hokage-sama will be giving me the ones who need the most help. I see..._

Inel looked around where he had let himself wander to; he was at a corner near the Hokage's building. The jounin put a cloth on the ground in front of him, removed the violin that was still strapped to his back, and began to play a few songs for the passers-by.

_This is how I earn my money, _Inel thought, contentedly playing a few folk songs on his violin, _I will keep playing until it is time to get my new students._

I wish I could play violin...

That day slogged by for Korii; he felt no purpose in being in Konoha, so it felt too slow for him. Inel was quite at home, playing on the street like he did in his younger days. The next day passed without any event, and finally it was the 31st: exam day.

* * *

A/N: A short chapter, I know. But that's ok. ...I hate exams...That being said, post something, you! (points through computer screen) 


	3. Day 31: Exam Day

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, I still don't own Pocky, the rank of kunoichi, a sixth sense, the Three Musketeers (plus one), the discipline to study, a tree swing, or an escape plan. I'm too lazy to escape...I just sit there and take it. Or I'll sic Corey on whoever's bothering me.

* * *

Michiko and Deniizu walked down the street, with their dogs running around them freely.

"Final exam," Michiko whispered, "It really is today."

"You'll be fine," Deniizu said, rolling eyes and biting into a stick of banana Pocky, "We know what it's on. Everything is going exactly like the manga; Naruto graffitied the cliff yesterday."

"I know, but I'm still a little nervous," Michiko said, petting the black pup, Aramis, as she carried him, "...Where do you think Naruto is? Do you think he left early?"

"No, I think he'll be late," Deniizu answered with a grin, then pointed ahead, "There's Hinata. That's weird; she's alone."

"Ohayo, Hinata," Michiko greeted as she reached her friend, and Deniizu nodded.

"Ohayo Michi-chan, Deni-chan," Hinata said, with a shy wave, "Are you both ready for the final test?"

"I think so," Michiko said, with a nervous smile, "Are you?"

"I hope," Hinata answered, picking up D'Artagnan who had been pawing at her leg as they walked.

"Where's Kiba and Shino?" Deniizu asked, looking around the street.

"I don't know," Hinata answered, "Kiba was training extra hard yesterday, hoping that it would ensure that he passes today, so he might accidentally sleep in. I have no idea about Shino."

"I thought you hung around both of them all the time," Michiko said, "Shino lives right by you, and Kiba is Shino's best friend."

"I do, but lately I've been spending a lot of time with my cousin," Hinata answered, scratching the grey puppy behind the ears.

"Neji?" Deniizu exclaimed, and Michiko looked surprised as well.

"Oh, no! No," Hinata said, shaking her head, "I have a very distant cousin; my father doesn't usually mention him. But he's kind, if in his own way, so he tries to take care of me and my sister while he's in Konoha."

"He doesn't live in Konoha?" Deniizu asked.

"He does," Hinata said, "But his ninja team is usually on long-range missions. Well, they were, but then his other two teammates have already become jounins, so he's kind of left behind."

"What level is he?" Michiko asked curiously.

"...Genin," Hinata said softly.

"_What_? And his former teamates are jounin?" Deniizu exclaimed, almost choking on some Pocky, "How is that possible?"

"How old is he?" Michiko asked, awed.

"He's 16," Hinata answered, "This is why Father never mentions him; he's a bit of the family outcast because he doesn't apply himself. He has so much skill, but he doesn't use it if he can help it."

"Why doesn't he?" Michiko asked, shaking her head, "Why would he _not_ apply himself?"

"I'm not sure," Hinata said, shrugging sadly, "Maybe he has a little bit of Neji's bitterness and uses his apathy as an excuse to not take care of the main house."

"But he takes care of _you_," Deniizu pointed out.

"I know. That's why I don't understand," Hinata said.

Porthos didn't like the sudden gloomy cloud that had settled over the three girls; the dog crouched in Michiko's way and tripped her. The black-haired girl fell with a yelp, dropping Aramis as she did so.

"Ow..." Michiko groaned, from the ground, "You think you're _so_ cute, don't you, pup?"

The mottled dog merely barked and wagged his tail playfully before running towards the school, which was now in sight.

"Time for our exam," Deniizu sighed, finishing her Pocky.

"Good luck, both of you," Hinata whispered.

Michiko looked up at the future kunoichi; she looked terrified. Getting up, the taller girl put an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Good luck to you too, Hinata-chan. But I know you don't need it."

Hinata looked up at her friend, surprised, then smiled.

"Thank you..."

Exams are evil! Evil I tell you! Evil!

The three girls left the dogs outside, and upon entering the classroom, they saw that though they were early, most of the class was already there. Only Kiba, Shikamaru and Chouji were not present yet. A tense silence filled the room. Naruto didn't look too good; he was sitting at a spare desk, apart from the rest of the class, with his head down on the desk.

"Ohayo, Shino," Hinata greeted, as she sat in her seat beside him.

"Good morning," Shino said, as Michiko smiled and waved, and Deniizu nodded.

"Do you know where Kiba is?" Michiko whispered, and Shino and Hinata turned so that they were facing her and Deniizu.

"I last saw him training yesterday," Shino answered quietly, "He may come late."

_She's so lovely, _Shino thought, looking at Michiko fondly, then lancing pains shot throughout his body, _Ugh...how much longer?_

Over the past month, both girls had figured out how to tell what Shino was feeling or thinking through subtle changes in his body language or face; Michiko had already gained a keener sense of it than Hinata and Kiba. All three of his friends saw the corners of his eyes tighten; Michiko saw him slightly incline his head forward for a second.

"What's hurting you?" Deniizu asked, "Did you train hard yesterday too?"

_No...it's more pain than that..._Michiko thought, but still she waited for the boy's answer.

"I'm fine," Shino said, shaking his head and turning forward again, "I'm...don't worry."

The three girls shared troubled looks, but before they could ask further, there was a slight commotion by the door. Looking, they saw the final three students entering the classroom.

"About time, Kiba," Deniizu said, not unkindly, "Where were you?"

"I slept in," Kiba answered, grinning sheepishly as he slipped into his seat, "I did some last minute training and I think I overdid it."

"That what you get for spending most of your time with a certain someone, instead of training," Michiko teased, poking the boy as he sat beside her, "Is Akamaru outside?" she asked before he could retort.

"Yeah, he's taking care of your four mutts," Kiba teased back, poking his friend, "And I do _not_ spend most of my time with Pooriin."

"Aw, it's ok!" Michiko said, "We understand your feelings! No need to be embarrassed!"

"Yeah, it doesn't matter if _everyone knows that you love Pooriin so much_," Deniizu added, raising her voice for that last phrase.

Kiba let his head rest on his desk to avoid the class' stares as Hinata giggled and Shino shook his head.

"Please just let the test start," Kiba groaned, and Michiko laughed.

"Oh, you know we mean well," Michiko smiled, patting Kiba's shoulder.

Kiba turned his head and grinned wolfishly at the two tormentors.

"I'll get you back for that, somehow," Kiba warned, "Both of you."

"Yeah, I'd like to see you try," Deniizu chuckled.

"We've been training our four Musketeers; you and Akamaru can't get past them now," Michiko added, crossing her arms.

"Whatever," Kiba rolled his eyes.

As part of extra training, Deniizu and Michiko had been taught basic fighting and defence techniques from Kiba to use with their own dogs. Michiko and Deniizu had trained the dogs very quickly; something which they claimed was due to being around their village's strays for all (or most) of their lives. Kiba had been shocked at the speed they had trained them; Michiko even spoke basic dog speech (eg. I'm mad, I'm tired, pass me that stick, etc.). Hinata and Shino secretly thought that Michiko truly had some of the Inuzuka clan's blood in her, and was trying to trace Michiko and Kiba's family lines to see if there was a link. However, the search had proved fruitless, thus far. They didn't even know Michiko's parents' names.

All five of the friends looked up as Iruka entered the room. Their sensei had a companion with him; the class guessed (or in the portal-users' case, knew) that he was the examiner that would help Iruka judge the students' performances. As Iruka outlined the procedure for the exam, Deniizu and Michiko took deep breaths; though they knew what the test was on, that still didn't help their nerves.

You'd think studying would make you feel confident in an exam, but nooo...

Inel stood apart from the other jounin, observing the students who had passed the exam. After watching the congratulating parents and excited siblings for a moment, his eyes drifted to a boy that sat alone on a tree swing.

"That's the only one who didn't pass," Inel overheard.

"Damn fox demon..."

"Sh! It's forbidden to speak of that!"

_So...that is Naruto, the demon carrier,_ Inel thought, _Hm...he doesn't look dangerous. Only...very, very sad and lonely. Poor guy._

Inel turned back to the crowd that was in front of the school, and blinked.

_No...no, it can't be..._the man thought, shocked, but looking closely, he saw that it was true.

_Michelle and Denise? They're here? ...But of course! Corey was going to meet friends at the greenhouse...now I understand! ...Hey...Hey, where did they go?_

'Where'd they go'? I'll tell you where they went...

Michiko, Deniizu, Kiba and Shino, as well as Akamaru and the four pups, had created a conspiracy plan ahead of time. And it had been executed perfectly.

"Did they see us?" Deniizu asked, glancing over her shoulder to her friends.

"I don't think so," Michiko shook her head breathlessly.

Shino stood protectively in front of the two girls as Kiba peeked around the alleyway wall furtively.

"No, we're good," Kiba said, slumping down on the ground beside Akamaru.

"We got away," Michiko said, relieved, and leaned on the wall behind her.

Deniizu, who had led the way, walked by Kiba and checked around the corner herself, before nodding that Kiba had been right; no-one had seen them leave the crowd.

"We escaped the congrats party!" Kiba cheered quietly, pumping a fist in the air.

All four friends looked at each other, then spontaneously laughed. It was good to be out of that tense, formal scene, in Shino's case, or the smothering scene that Kiba would have had to face.

"Too bad Hinata couldn't come," Michiko said moodily.

"Hey, if she had, her dad would've killed her," Deniizu pointed out.

Michiko nodded, then looked over at Shino. The boy was kneeling on the ground, his head between his hands. Concerned, Michiko and Kiba helped him up as Deniizu and the dogs stood as lookout.

"Hey, Shino, what's wrong?" Kiba asked.

"Shino? Are you ok?" Michiko asked, trying to catch his eye.

The kikaichu were buzzing now, confused at how the host was acting, sending many stinging pains throughout Shino's body. The new genin was trying not to cry out, but the effort was taxing.

_She has to let go...I don't want her to...She has to let go of me..._Shino was thinking, as the bugs writhed within him, reacting to the foreign changes that he was going through.

"Please...I'm fine...let go of me..." Shino managed to say.

When they did, Shino avoided looking at Michiko.

_This is ridiculous...what must you think of me...ugh!_

Shino forced himself to not visualize Michiko, and stood up shakily. Deliberately placing one foot before the other, he led the way through the alley.

"Come on," he said over his shoulder, "Let's find Pooriin."

* * *

A/N: Another short chapter...ih. You still have to post a review. (points) REVIEW! 


	4. Day 32: New teams

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, healing jutsu, I still have to buy that forehead protector, and I do not have any latent aggression. (shifty eyes) ...REALLY...

* * *

Shino woke up the next day, and winced. It wasn't his body troubling him again, it was the memory of the night before.

_Why did I go? So stupid..._

The four friends had found Pooriin and Itachi, and were going to have their own congratulatory picnic in their training field. But after they had started, things had gone very, very wrong.

* * *

_"Shino, are you ok?" Pooriin asked, looking concernedly at her friend._

_Shino crouched on the ground, his right hand's fingers digging into his left arm, his left hand's fingers digging into the ground. He felt as if the bugs were trying to burrow new holes through his skin...but everywhere. Trying to get up made the matter worse; with a groan, Shino collapsed._

_"Shino, why didn't you tell us you weren't feeling well?" Kiba asked, looking around the field for help._

_"How long has he been like this?" Itachi asked Deniizu; both were standing apart from the others._

_"As far as I know, all day," Deniizu answered._

_The couple were staying out of the other four's way; Deniizu couldn't do anything of use, and Itachi didn't care. So long as Deniizu was alright, he was too._

_Michiko activated her healing jutsu; a blue aura surrounded her hands. Kneeling beside Shino, Michiko managed to catch his eye. They kept eye-contact for all of three seconds, then Shino curled up in pain._

_"Shino...Shino you have to tell me where the pain is coming from," Michiko said helplessly, holding her hands above his body, not sure what to do._

_Shino groaned in pain again, but faintly whispered an order._

_"What? What did you say?" Michiko asked, leaning forward to hear him better._

_"Take...me home. Just...take me...home," he said faintly. And then there was blackness.

* * *

_

_Fool. Goddamn fool, _Shino thought, berating himself, _Why did you go?_

Getting up shakily, Shino stood up and dragged himself to the washroom. Looking at himself in the mirror, he looked normal. A little frazzled, but normal. Several bugs crawled out of one of the openings in the skin of his arms, running along his skin comfortingly.

"I know this is new," he whispered to the beetles, "It's new to me too. But we can adjust."

_I just hope we adjust soon._

...Ok, so we can feel bad for Shino, or we can silently laugh...ehehe- I mean...

Michiko sat at her desk, playing with the one intricate braid that she had made with a forelock, leaving the rest of her hair loose. Then she tapped her feet to an irregular rhythm. Then she adjusted her new forehead protector which she kept around her neck. Then she drummed her fingers on the desktop, 'playing' imaginary piano scales. It was at the point where she kept spinning her pencil between her fingers that her friends lost their patience.

"Michiko..." Kiba said warningly.

"I swear, if you don't calm down..." Deniizu let her voice trail off menacingly.

"Michi-chan, I'm sure everything is all right," Hinata said softly, meaning both their new teachers coming, and what happened to Shino the night before.

"Easy for you to say; you weren't there," Michiko said, remembering how Shino had lost consciousness.

Hinata looked away. The shy girl sighed sadly; Michiko followed her gaze to where Naruto was sitting. He was by Sakura.

_Of course,_ Michiko thought, getting up and sitting by Hinata, taking the seat Shino would be at.

"I wouldn't worry, if I were you," Michiko whispered to her friend, "She has no interest in him."

"But...if they're on the same team..." Hinata looked down and played with her fingers.

Michiko looked at the loud-mouthed boy on the other side of the room, and bit her lip. It was hard, knowing that her friend's fears would get worse, but being unable to stop it.

"He'll grow up and see that you're the better girl," Michiko said, smiling at Hinata, "You'll see."

Hinata gave a small smile back, but both their smiles faded in a moment. Deniizu took the chair beside Kiba, and shook her head.

"I feel bad for them, don't you?" Deniizu asked Kiba in a low voice.

"Naruto's an immature jerk, and Shino...he's Shino," Kiba nodded, also quietly.

As if on cue, Shino came through the door behind Shikamaru. Michiko got up to move, but there was no need; Shino sat apart from the rest of the genins.

_What's wrong with him?_ Kiba, Hinata and Deniizu thought, seeing how he slumped that he wanted to be alone.

_Why is he like that? _Michiko thought, seeing how rigidly he was really sitting, _Is he still hurting?_

As Iruka-sensei entered the room, Michiko and the others turned their attention to the front of the class. Kiba saw in the corner of his eye how Shino glanced at Michiko; Deniizu caught a stray thought.

_I hope I'm on your team...but I also hope I'm not, _Shino thought.

_What the _hell_ is he going on about? _Deniizu thought.

As Iruka read out the names for team 7 ("Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke."), Hinata slouched; Michiko reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. (A/N: This is _not _yuri! They're close friends!) Kiba smirked at team 10's turnout (_Ino's going to have a lot of fun with Shikamaru and Chouji.)_, and at team 8's reading, Shino held his breath.

"Team 8," Iruka said, reading from his scroll, "Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba."

Shino let himself breathe normally again; he knew he'd be able to function normally with his team.

"You all must now wait here until your new teachers pick you up," Iruka announced, "Michiko, Deniizu, you two follow me."

As one, the two girls got up from their chairs. Deniizu nodded to her friends before walking down the aisle. Michiko smiled at Kiba and Hinata, and tried to catch Shino's eye, but the boy continued facing forward, as if she weren't there. Disappointedly, she followed Deniizu into the hallway. Iruka motioned for them to walk alongside him as he explained their situation.

"As you two are quite new here, and there are only two of you, I had a bit of trouble finding a suitable teacher for you," Iruka said, leading them towards the outside doors, "But I did manage to find one, and I think you will do well in this setting."

The special jounin pushed open the doors and waited for the girls to pass him before letting them swing shut. Michiko and Deniizu saw the two males before them and froze as Iruka continued, oblivious to their reactions.

"This is your new sensei, Satoki Inel, and your new teammate, Hyuuga Korii, of Team 13. Inel is one of the best teachers Konoha has, so no doubt you two will learn quickly. I'll leave you four now to get to know each other better."

With that, the jounin turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the four portal-users together.

_Oh CRAP I'm caught skipping! _Deniizu thought, her face showing her fears.

_How..._Michiko thought, then spoke her question out loud, "How are you two here?"

"That's what _I'd_ like to know," Korii said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's good to see that you two are safe," Inel said, "But right now, let's go sit down somewhere where we can sort this out."

Remember, you'll eventually get caught if you skip school. May that be a lesson to you.

They were in Korii's home, calmly sitting around the lounge and figuring out what they were doing in Konoha. Korii had decided that since he had his friends here, it wouldn't be too bad to hang around and do missions. In fact, he was looking forward to the missions since he could vent his aggression on the enemy. Inel was perfectly happy with this dimension; he liked the idea of dangerous adventure with some street playing on the side.

"There's one more thing, Inel-sensei," Michiko said, testing out her music teacher's new title.

"Mm? What's that?" Inel asked, looking up from sipping his tea.

"It's about Deniizu and I skipping school. And Korii too, now."

"Ah. I can guess that. You want me to clean up your attendance now, don't you?" Inel asked.

Deniizu and Michiko nodded quickly.

"I see..."

Inel sipped his tea again, thinking carefully, then put his cup down and sat forward in his chair.

"I will make sure your attendance record is good on three conditions."

Deniizu, Michiko and Korii shared resigned looks and all three nodded again.

Inel raised one finger and continued.

"One: None of you can skip my class or rehearsal during the rest of the week."

Korii and Deniizu sighed as they nodded, while Michiko just grinned.

"Two:" Inel continued, raising another finger, "All three of you will make an effort to pass the rest of your classes."

Deniizu actually groaned and Korii winced as they nodded; Michiko tried not to laugh.

"And finally three:" Inel continued, "...You will take remedial between missions for all the classes you missed."

Deniizu looked close to crying and Korii looked like he tasted something extremely bitter as they nodded. Michiko nodded enthusiastically, giving her teacher two thumbs up.

"Then it's settled. Michelle, you can go do whatever you want for the rest of the day. Corey, Denise, go get a notebook so that we can work on theory."

Michiko laughed as she ran out of the house, followed closely by a grumbling Korii and Deniizu.

See, you can get punished for skipping classes! So don't skip!

"This is _so_ not fair," Deniizu complained, looking for her bookbag in their apartment.

"How? It's your own faults for missing so many classes," Michiko grinned, helping Deniizu look.

"Shut up, bitch," Korii growled, also looking around the apartment, as someone knocked on the door.

Michiko chuckled as she went to get the door. Ignoring her friends' complaints as she opened the door, she saw Kiba and Shino, as well as the five dogs waiting outside.

"Hi, guys," Michiko greeted, letting them all in.

D'Artagnan sniffed Korii's feet as Aramis pawed at Michiko's legs to be picked up. Athos and Porthos barked and jumped around Korii, then Deniizu, then Michiko, then back to Korii, and Akamaru stood calmly beside Kiba and Shino, who were both still by the door.

"Um...Kiba, Shino, this is Korii," Michiko introduced, picking up the black puppy, "Korii's our new teammate, and one of Hinata's relatives. Korii, this is Kiba and Shino, two friends of ours."

"Hi," Kiba said, grinning at the 16-year-old boy.

"Hey," Korii said, nodding to Kiba and Shino.

"Pooriin is on her way," Shino said, as the five dogs started a game of tag in the room.

"Pooriin is another friend," Deniizu explained to Korii.

"I see," the white-eyed boy said, nodding.

"Oh, do you want to see our balcony?" Michiko asked, already walking towards it.

"They have a pretty good view," Pooriin said breathlessly at the doorway, managing to just catch up to the boys.

The pony-tailed girl hurried forward, with her hand outstretched.

"Hi, I'm Pooriin," she said, shaking Korii's hand.

"Hey," Korii said again, then turned at a sound on the balcony.

"Porthos!" Michiko was yelling.

Pooriin and the three boys saw Michiko fall off the balcony, after tripping over the above mentioned dog. Deniizu jumped after her to catch her, but ended up toppling over the edge.

"Whoa!" Kiba yelled, jumping after Deniizu and just managing to grab her ankle, "A little help, Shino? Korii?"

Korii and Shino both tried to get through the balcony doors at the same time, and ended up getting stuck and looking quite undignified, trapping Pooriin inside, and the dogs on the balcony, all five of which were still running around barking. Kiba tried to hold onto Deniizu, who held onto Michiko's ankles. Just as Korii managed to get through the doors, Akamaru, who thought this all was just a game, jumped at Kiba and bit his ear. With a yelp, Kiba instinctively let go of Deniizu, which caused both of the girls to free fall. Korii ran to the balcony edge and looked down, a split second before Shino.

"FUCK!" Korii yelled, watching helplessly with the other three as the girls kept falling.

_No-one survives a fifth-story fall. No-one,_ Shino thought, feeling so useless.

Then, to their surprise, just as the girls would have hit the ground, they disappeared.

"...the hell!" Kiba exclaimed, as Shino froze.

"...Pauline?" Korii said softly.

The girl looked up at hearing her real name with shock, then it registered.

"You came through the greenhouse too?" she asked.

"Yeah. Michelle told me about you; you're her favourite cousin."

"Really?" Pauline grinned, then she became serious, "What do we do now?"

Corey thought for a moment before answering.

"We can't screw up the time difference with some of us entering or leaving the world at different times. You get back to the greenhouse and stop them from leaving it. I'll find my teacher; he's used the portal too."

"Got it," Pauline nodded, and Corey left the apartment, closely followed by Shino.

Pauline looked down before throwing herself off the balcony.

"Whoa, hold it!" Kiba exclaimed, catching Pauline's ankles, "What is going on?"

"Kiba, just trust me," Pauline said calmly, smiling at her boyfriend, "I'll be fine."

Kiba looked at her and saw that she was serious and perfectly sane.

"You'll disappear too?" Kiba asked, and Pauline nodded, "...You'd better be right, or I'll never forgive you."

With that he let her drop.

"Thanks, Kiba!" Pauline called, and then she was gone too.

I wish I could survive a fifth-story fall...

"Where are you going?" Shino asked, sticking to Korii like a burr, "What's this about greenhouses and portals?"

They had walked down six streets now, and still the older boy hadn't answered.

"Korii, what's going on? Where's Michiko? ...And Deniizu," he added as an afterthought.

That stopped Korii; turning, white eyes met black sunglasses.

"We're from another world. _Michiko's_ from another world. Remember that, Shino."

With that, Korii ran to find his teacher, leaving Shino stunned.

Oo, did that sound dramatic? "White eyes met black sunglasses." ...ooo...

"Shit, shit, shit," Denise muttered, hitting the ground with her fists.

"You know, that isn't going to help," Michelle said, sitting in one of the greenhouse treebranches.

According to her watch, it was still just past 2:30, meaning that they had another half hour until they needed to go to their hotel.

"They saw us fall, Michelle. This could screw up a lot of stuff," Denise said, still punching the ground.

"I know, Denise," Michelle said, annoyed, "I just hope Pauline and Corey do the right thing and come right away."

"You talk about me behind my back?" Pauline asked, suddenly on a neighbouring branch.

"Whoa! Dude!" Michelle exclaimed, almost falling off her own branch.

"Wow. You really snuck up on us there," Denise said, looking up at her friend, "That's the first time any of us have seen someone arrive."

"You just appeared," Michelle said, a little stunned.

"Korii and your teacher will be here in a sec," Pauline said.

"It's Corey," the latter said, appearing at a higher branch.

"And I'm Ionel," the man said, from a branch beside Corey.

"Hi," Pauline and Michelle said, waving.

"So now what?" Denise said, sitting crosslegged on the floor.

Corey jumped down and Ionel carefully lowered himself before saying something.

"So now we wait until next week, and then we'll find out what happened while we were gone after your friends saw you disappear. This has never happened before, right?" Ionel asked.

"Right," the three girls chorused.

"...So we just wait," Corey said, "Great. I love waiting."

"Oh no!" Ionel slapped his forehead, "We've been away from the rest of the music people for how long?"

"It's just ten to 3 o'clock," Michelle said, dropping lightly from the tree, "We could've stayed longer in Konoha."

"You students could have, _I_ need to be taking care of things with Stan!" Ionel exclaimed, already leaving the greenhouse.

"He seems stressed," Corey said dryly.

"Whatever," Denise shrugged, "You guys want to go look around Chinatown?"

* * *

A/N: Another short chapter...ih. You still have to post a review. (points) REVIEW! 


	5. Tuesday to Friday, or Days 33 to 36

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, a snowblower, the ability to disappear in curling smoke, the movie _Gigli_ (which I don't _want_ to own anyway), translucent paper, ANBU, the ability to walk into trees and not get hurt, or an edited next chapter. ...yet.

* * *

The next day was a Tuesday; Ionel, Michelle, Corey and Denise were still on their music trip, while Pauline was home, learning through the books that came in the mail. But in Konoha... 

"From another world...I don't understand," Hinata said, shaking her head.

Team 8 had just finished doing their first mission ever; picking up trash in one of Konoha's parks. Their sensei, Yuuhi Kurenai, had been sitting in a tree nearby, simply watching them as they worked. In the training field, Shino and Kiba were explaining what had happened the day before; how the girls had just disappeared, and what Korii had said.

"We don't understand either," Shino said, "But we still have to find out where they are and what's going on."

"...Korii is my cousin. He _can't_ be from another world," Hinata insisted.

"Maybe coming into our world from theirs changed things," Kiba said, "This could be really, really complicated."

"But it doesn't make sense," Hinata said, shaking her head again, "I've always had a cousin named Korii. I know it."

"But Korii said himself that he was from another world," Shino pointed out, "...Either way, we can't do anything until they come back."

"When will that be, then?" Kiba asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" Shino shrugged, "All we can do is wait."

Oh no! Time hasn't stopped! That could be a problem...

The day after, Wednesday, was busy for the people on the music trip; their day was full of last-minute rehearsals and concert presentations. With Pauline, her mom decided that it was time for her to shovel their driveway. What fun. (AN: That was sarcastic.) In Konoha, Team 8 was given a free day from Kurenai.

"I like our sensei," Kiba said, grinning to himself, "We get a holiday."

He and Shino were walking with Hinata as she did her groceries. There was still no sign of Team 13.

"Technically, she should be training us," Shino pointed out.

"She will," Hinata said, looking over her list, "I think she just doesn't want to go too hard on us since we just finished school."

"So long as she isn't too soft, you three might survive," a low voice said from behind the trio.

Turning around, they saw someone who looked to be Korii. But looking carefully, they saw that instead of white eyes, the boy had-

"Sharingan!" Hinata whispered, dropping her list.

"You," Shino said, stepping in front of Hinata protectively.

"What're you doing here?" Kiba demanded in a low voice, trying not to call attention to themselves.

"Where is Deniizu?" Itachi countered quietly, "I haven't seen her in three days. What has happened to her?"

"We'd tell you if we knew," Kiba said, "But right now we don't," he hesitated then added, "Her teammate said that they all come from another world."

"Her teammate? The girl, or the one I'm masquerading as right now?" Itachi asked brusquely.

"The boy," Shino answered.

"...What did he mean by another world? Another dimension?"

"We don't know," Kiba said firmly.

"You'd better find out," Itachi warned, "Soon. Or there will be...many problems in the near future."

The missing nin disappeared with curling smoke, and Hinata fell to her knees, relieved.

"I didn't think he'd leave," she whispered.

"...We have to tell the Hokage," Shino said, helping Hinata up.

Itachi's cool, but he's also kind of...scary...

Thursday was mostly a road trip for the music people; a long bus ride home to just sit and do absolutely nothing. Well, _Gigli _was playing on the tourbus' screens, but no-one was interested in watching. Pauline was stuck inside most of the day; it was to cold to leave the house for very long. And Team 8 was also stuck indoors.

When Team 8 had gone to Sandaime Hokage, they had said that Deniizu, Michiko and Korii had gone missing, and they had seen Uchiha Itachi in the area. Also, the small representative of the Chatora clan was becoming quite agitated in the sudden disappearance of their only daughter.

**By order of the Hokage, no-one under the level of chuunin may leave their homes**the village crier was saying in Konoha Square now, **Until futher notice. To those who are able, and of levels chuunin and above, you must report to the Hokage immediately...**

So what does Team 8 think of this?

"It's to find Deniizu, Pooriin, and Michiko, isn't it?" Shino asked his father, blocking the way to the door before he could leave, "Hokage-sama is locking the village down for them, isn't he?"

"...And their teammate Korii," Aburame Shibi answered, staring levelly at his son.

"No-one else?" Shino asked.

"...Their sensei is missing, but Inel was always like that," Shibi answered after a moment of thought.

Shino paused for a moment before stepping aside. Shibi nodded approvingly as he passed his son, but in the doorway, he stopped.

"...Michiko is the girl you've been visiting so often, am I correct?"

Shino froze; he'd never mentioned his whereabouts, or his friend to his father.

"...she is."

Shibi thought for a minute before speaking again.

"Is she the one that causes those...reactions which are so new to you and your bugs?"

"I believe that's personal," Shino said curtly.

"...You know what that means, do you not, my son?"

"Do you, father?"

At this, Shibi turned and looked at his son angrily.

"Shino..."

The boy turned and met his father stare for stare.

"I know," Shino growled, turning to walk to his room, "Have fun during the mission, father."

Shibi felt his anger ebb into regret.

_We used to be on such good terms...Hotaru warned me that there would be difficult years._

(A/N: 'Hotaru' means 'firefly'. If anyone knows her real name, and where a bio about her is, tell me.)

'Hotaru' is such a pretty name...

Finally, it was Friday. Ionel and his students were looking forward to the end of that stressful week, and Pauline was looking forward to visiting Michelle and her friends during the weekend. Konoha was now under a one-man siege; Itachi was not happy that Deniizu was missing. Sarutobi-sama, however, thought the nukenin was just being an irritant, and was continuing Konoha's lockdown procedure. Kiba had been allowed out of his house once, (escorted by his sister) to visit Michiko and Deniizu's place in order to collect the four dogs. Now, these four, little dogs were essential in what Kiba wanted carried out, as Kiba was explaining to them in his room that morning.

"Aramis, D'Artagnan, you go to Hinata's house; you have to protect her. Athos, Porthos, you go to Shino's house. Don't chew up the scrolls that I gave you! Now all of you have to be as fast as you can. Since Deniizu and Michiko aren't here, act like the person you're taking the message to is your companion. Understand?"

The four dogs gave a unified yip, and Kiba soon smuggled them out of the house, onto the street.

_Please don't get hit by one of Itachi's fireballs or anything,_ Kiba thought, _Michiko will twist my ear off. And Deniizu will hit me. And Pooriin will get all depressed._

With that last thought, Kiba and Akamaru went upstairs, under the pretence that they were going to study some scrolls, and snuck out of the house through the window, to their meeting place.

Oo...what's Kiba doing?

Hinata looked out of her bedroom window, wishing that she could at least walk around outside. But she couldn't, not even in the courtyard, because her father had forbidden it. As she looked down into the garden, wishing she had the boldness to simply escape through the window, a blur of black caught her pale eyes.

_Did I just see..._the girl thought, squinting at the flowerpots she thought the blur disappeared behind, when a grey blur ran to join the black one.

_Was that Aramis?_ Hinata thought, blinking.

Making a seal, she activated her Byakugan; now she could see that it was indeed Aramis and his brother, D'Artagnan.

_What are they doing here?_ Hinata thought, confused, _Those two are Michiko's dog team...is she back? Or did Kiba let them out? ...He must have! There are message scrolls attached to them! I have to go into the garden._

Hinata deactivated her Byakugan, and started to climb through her window to the tree beside it, when a thought occurred to her.

_If I'm caught, I'll be in so much trouble. Father will be so angry...but what if the message is urgent? What if Kiba needs help? I'm his friend and teammate; I can't let him down...but what if I'm caught, or I fail him when I try to help? ...Naruto-kun would go. Shino would go. Deniizu would already be on the street by now. ...I _must_ go._

With her shaky resolve in mind, Hinata recommenced her escape.

Hinata's getting rebellious...

Shino had been in his expansive backyard when Athos and Porthos found him; his father had set no such limitations to his son like those Hinata had to deal with.

"Kiba really overdid it, sending the message like this," Shino muttered to himself.

Each of the puppies had a scroll made of translucent paper around their necks. Each scroll had only every other word in the message; in order to read it, Shino needed to overlap the scrolls and hold them up to the light.

'Go to the training field and wait for Hinata and I,' the note read, 'We are going to have a mission: Find Pooriin, Michiko, Deniizu, and the rest of their team.'

_I bet he forgot Korii's name, _Shino thought, _That's why he didn't write it._

'Trust me, Shino,' the letter continued, 'We three have a better chance at finding them than all the other ninjas. We know them better; we know the way they think. And bring the dogs with you.' -Kiba

"Baka," Shino whispered, "Now I have to stop you before you kill yourself and Hinata with your foolishness."

The brown pup beside him growled in agreement.

About half an hour later...

Hinata, as she neared the field, heard loud voices; not wanting to use any chakra, she turned to the dogs.

"Are they friends over there, or enemies?"

D'Artagnan yipped happily and ran for the field.

"I guess that's a 'friends'," Hinata said, picking up Aramis.

As she stepped into the field, an interesting sight met her. Kiba and Naruto were in the center, arguing for all they were worth. Akamaru and Athos were on either side of Kiba, barking at Naruto. Shino was standing to the side, looking very, very annoyed. D'Artagnan was whining and pawing at Porthos, who was whimpering and shaking his head. Aramis jumped down from Hinata to join his grey and mottled brothers, and Hinata hurried to Shino.

"You can't help us! Go arrange something with your _own_ team!" Kiba was yelling.

"I can't! Sasuke's trying to challenge that missing nin, and Sakura's following him all around the village. I don't _have_ a team!"

"Go away!"

"I can help!"

"No you can't!"

"Yes I can!"

"How long have they been like this?" Hinata asked Shino.

"They only just started. Maybe 20 minutes," Shino answered, "Why did you come, Hinata? This isn't like you, and it's not safe."

"I want to help," Hinata said softly, "I'm here so I might as well do something. What's wrong with Porthos?"

"...I'm not sure. He may be acting up, like usual, or he may be sensing something."

Hinata looked from the pups to Shino.

"Sensing?"

Shino adjusted his sunglasses with a finger.

"My kikaichu sense some kind of...disturbance. It's not anything dangerous; it's just...there. I want to investigate, but I don't want to just leave those two over there."

Hinata looked at Kiba and Naruto, who were both still yelling.

_They're going to be caught by an ANBU or something, soon, _both genins thought.

"Can't you break them up?" Hinata asked helplessly, thinking, _If we're caught, we're dead!_

"I can only prevent things from happening with Kiba," Shino answered, shaking his head, "I can't stop him."

Shino thought for a moment, watching a fly's lazy spiral as it flew though the air...and vanished? Shino flinched visibly, and took a step to where the fly had been.

"What is it?" Hinata asked, trying to see what Shino was looking at.

"Get Kiba. Tell him he has to see something, and it doesn't matter if Naruto comes or not," Shino said firmly.

Hinata nodded and walked to the boys, half hiding behind Kiba from Naruto as she did so. Her stammer entered into her speech again.

"K-kiba-kun...Sh-Shino has s-something urgent t-to show you..."

"What?" Kiba asked, noticing the girl for the first time, "What...Hinata? When did...? Who...he...where?"

Hinata pointed to Shino, and Kiba turned to look at him. The bug-user stood at the east edge of the field. When he was sure his teammates were watching, he held up one arm, then thrust it directly at the tree behind him. To the onlookers' surprise, his arm went straight into the tree, right down to his elbow. Hinata clapped her hands over her mouth, Kiba froze, and Naruto's jaw dropped. Porthos finally got up, shook his head, and ran right into the tree, the other four dogs following.

"Hey, where are you going?" Kiba called to the pups, "It might not be safe there!"

Shino turned and followed the dogs into the tree, with Hinata, Kiba, and Naruto close behind.

* * *

A/N: What's going on now! What's going on now! ...Why should _I_ explain? Just review and wait for the next chapter. ...That'd be cool though, walking into trees literally... 


	6. Friday, Dec 16: Learning about Portals

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, a fake tree, a pair of fingerless gloves, gangster dogs (you heard me), a loveseat, portal traveller witnesses, any of the names listed here, I'm not sure if I have partial ownership of the 'Portal theories' explained here, and I don't own a blank manga book. But...I do own _this_ tissue box! (holds up tissue box beside computer. Examines it.) Huh? It's empty? ...I own nothing of worth...there goes my self-esteem...

* * *

Looking up and around, the inside of the 'tree' was actually a strange clearing with a pond in the center. The clearing had about 20 feet's worth of space in each direction, and where the clearing stopped, there was unusual, glowing white light. The pond in the center took up most of the room in the clearing, with a strip of land around the edge that was about the width of a city sidewalk.

"Hey, guys, are we dead?" Naruto asked, looking around, his eyes wide with awe.

"Baka," Kiba growled, but not unkindly.

"Wh-what...?" Hinata found herself slowly gravitating towards the pond, and stopped at the water's edge, "...so strange..."

The five dogs were sniffing the edge of the water, and all four genins examined the water carefully themselves. Looking backwards, Shino saw a strip of colour, which looked dark compared to the white light surrounding them. He realised he was looking through a sort of window to the training field.

"This is interesting," Shino said in a low voice, the fly he had seen earlier buzzing by his ear.

"Guys, check this out!"

Hearing Naruto's voice, Team 8 turned and saw Naruto, supposedly walking on the water's surface.

"Hey, how are you doing that?" Kiba asked, bewildered.

"Haven't you ever heard of water-walking jutsu?" Naruto asked smugly.

"Naruto-kun...you're so good," Hinata whispered, still awed.

Just then, Porthos trotted out onto the pond, also on the surface. The mottled dog sat in front of Naruto and woofed triumphantly. Team 8 looked from the pup, to Naruto, then back again. The blonde-haired loudmouth blushed.

"Nevermind," he mumbled, as the rest of the ninjas took steps onto the water.

"This is so weird," Kiba muttered, looking at his feet.

"It's definitely a new sensation," Shino agreed, walking calmly to the center of the pond.

_How does that guy stay so normal all the time?_ Naruto thought, annoyed.

Shino looked down, examining the water below his feet. At first glance, the water was like a grey mirror, only it didn't reflect Shino's image, much to his confusion. Then, as he continued to look, he realized that he was seeing images.

"You three may want to see this," Shino said slowly, "Look down at the water and examine it for a moment."

The others obeyed, and after a few seconds, Hinata gasped. Kiba got to his knees and touched the 'water' gently with a hand, and Naruto simply stared.

Shino, Hinata and Naruto all saw the same scene; Michiko was in strange clothing, in a building. The black-haired girl was talking to her friends; Deniizu was there too, boxing with Korii as Michiko pulled on a thick coat. Kiba, however, saw Pooriin; she was also in strange clothing, at home, and petting her dog.

_I want to go there,_ Shino thought, looking at Michiko, _Let me go there._

With a start, he realized he had sunk into the 'water', and was now knee-deep. As soon as he noticed this, he jumped backwards, and ended up standing back on the 'water's' surface. Hinata saw and watched her friend as he tried to puzzle this out.

_Is that how I must get in?_ Shino thought, and relaxed, letting himself sink again.

"Shino, are you ok?" Naruto asked, rushing to Shino's side.

"I think this is how we can go to their world," Shino explained, now waist-deep, "...Did you see them?"

"Yes," Kiba said, as the other two nodded, "So what do you do? Just sink?"

"Just relax and let it take you," Shino shrugged, now down to mid-torso.

_I hope you're right, Shino-kun,_ Hinata thought, feeling herself sink down to her ankles; she held her breath, trying not to suddenly panic.

Kiba was faring just as well as Hinata; entering the pond was slow, but steady. Shino was already almost completely submerged. Naruto was having problems; he kept getting too excited, and ended up either stopping, or standing on the surface again.

"Kuso," Naruto whined, as he looked at the dogs; all four of them were doing much better than him.

But, after much patience, Naruto finally did get through, though he was the last. As his head sunk beneath the surface, he promptly missed another ninja entering the clearing.

Who was the other ninja? ...I'm not telling. Yet.

Once they were completely submerged in the pond, there was a short moment of darkness, and then each genin found his or herself in a clearing quite like the one they had just left, complete with a pond. But now, looking into the 'water', they could see that it was their own world that they were looking at; they could each see their families, or whatever they wanted to see, in the pond (eg. at first Naruto saw the ramen stall, but then his mind wandered and he found himself looking at the hotsprings.).

"So are we in the other world now?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.

"Only one way to find out," Kiba sighed, and walked straight towards the one dark part of the clearing.

Just as Shino had thought before, it was a window that they could walk through into the other world.

_Michiko's world,_ he reminded himself mentally.

The four genins, and five slightly forgotten dogs all stepped out into a snowy world. A gust of wind rose, and automatically, the genins crossed their arms to warm themselves; doing so, they made another discovery.

They were now wearing different clothes.

Hinata now wore a white, downfilled coat, a black t-shirt underneath, with a white blazer, blue jeans and typical white sneakers. Kiba wore gangster clothes; loose black hoodie with a t-shirt under, loose black jeans, black skater shoes, and a grey parka were his outfit. Akamaru had a spiked collar on, while the other four dogs had black bandannas tied around their necks. Shino had a black t-shirt and a black, high-collared sweater with a zipper in front on, with loose dark blue jeans and dark blue sneakers; his hair was spiked, his trenchcoat more modernized, he wore fingerless, black leather gloves, and his sunglasses were the same. Naruto's clothing had barely changed; his forehead protector was replaced by a dark blue bandanna, he wore white sneakers, and he had a yellow winter coat on, but the orange tracksuit that he usually wore was the same, if modernized.

"Where the hell _are_ we?" Naruto exclaimed, looking around wildly, "How the hell did we _get_ here? Why is it so cold? And what happened to my clothes!"

_I don't see why he's reacting so much, _Shino thought, _His clothes look exactly the same._

"Shut up, ahou," Kiba growled, "None of us know what's going on. Hey, Akamaru! Where are you guys going?"

As Team 8 was listening to Naruto rant, D'Artagnan and Aramis had noticed a familiar scent and sight, and ran to greet it. The other three dogs followed instinctively, and joined the welcome party.

"D'Artagnan! Aramis! Where did you guys come from!" a familiar voice rang out through the cold.

The four genins looked to their right in surprise, then all ran forward except Shino, who walked at a leisurely pace.

"Michiko!" Kiba yelled grabbing his friend in a huge bear hug, "And Korii and Deniizu! So this _is_ your world!"

"Augh, Kiba, I can't breathe!" Michelle gasped, trying to push away from Kiba.

Kiba let her go with a mumbled apology, but then perked right back up again in a second.

"I can't believe I found you guys!" Kiba exclaimed, hugging Michelle again.

You_ found them?_ Shino thought, but not angrily.

Kiba hugged Denise, who stayed stiff (she didn't like being hugged too often), and moved to hug Corey, but after receiving a glare, he realized that wouldn't be the smartest move and backed off.

"How did you get here?" Denise asked, as Michelle keeled over to get her breath back.

"Um...w...we really don't know..." Hinata said quietly, gently placing a hand on Michelle's shoulder, "Um...Michiko? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine!" Michelle wheezed, giving her friend a weak smile and thumbs-up, "Just great! But you can't call us those names; we have different names in this world."

"Different world!" Naruto exclaimed, his jaw dropping, "Shit! Where the hell are we!"

"Yes, Naruto, we are in a different world!" Kiba half-yelled, exasperated, "Get with the program!"

Denise looked first at the breathless Michelle, who was in front of her on the ground, and then turned to Corey, who was standing silently behind her.

"You want to explain?" Denise asked her friend, "You're better at these kinds of things."

"Ok," Corey nodded, then glanced around the snowy street warily, "But not here. Let's go to your place; your parents aren't home yet, right?"

"Not for a couple hours," Denise confirmed.

"Will you explain everything?" Naruto asked, looking helpless.

"Only if you guys do the same," Corey answered, helping Michelle up, "Follow us."

And so, they walked to Denise's apartment, which happened to be right by the tree the genins had walked through.

"Now do you understand, Naruto?"

Corey rubbed the bridge between his eyes and sighed. The young fox-demon carrier was taking a while to get it.

"Maybe we should have told Naruto just a little bit at a time, instead of all at once," Michelle whispered to Denise, earning a heartfelt nod.

Hinata was petting Denise's grey, pet cat, and Shino was sitting beside her on the loveseat. Denise, Corey, and Michelle sat on the couch which was to Shino's left, and Naruto sat on the floor, opposite the glass table in front of them. They were all in Denise's living room, excluding Kiba. Kiba was...ok, I'll explain in a moment.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I get it now," Naruto nodded, his hand under his chin.

Hinata hid a small smile, thinking, _I think he's lying._

"So...how did you guys get here?" Denise asked, turning to the other two genins.

Hinata and Shino shared a look, then Shino took a deep breath. Eyes trained to the floor, he explained all the events that had passed since the scene on the balcony. The three high schoolers listened intently, paying close attention until he was finished.

"...Time didn't stop," Michelle whispered, looking at Denise.

"Good thing we weren't seen while we were in the academy," Denise said, nodding.

"...Do you think it's stopped now? You know...now that they're here?" Michelle asked.

"Most likely," Corey said, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully, "Kiba and Shino were the only ones that saw you guys fall. Now that they're out of _that_ dimension, there are no more 'witnesses', and witnesses may have kept time going in Konoha."

Michelle massaged her temples, thinking to see if there were any more problems. Or at least, trying to.

_I'm _not_ jealous,_ she thought vehemently, _I do not care that they're on the loveseat together. Or that Shino didn't look at me or address me once. Everything is ok. Totally and completely ok. ...and even if he likes her, Hinata's my friend, so I can be happy for her. Not bitter. ...She's supposed to like Naruto! ...I'm not bitter, darnit!_

"...Hi," Naruto said suddenly.

"Um...hi?" Corey said unsurely, and Michelle and Denise gave hesitant waves.

"I'm Nathan Makizu. You can call me Nat," he said, holding out a hand.

Michelle, who sat at the end of the couch furthest from Shino, took his hand and shook it.

"Hi, I'm Michelle Salanga," she said, "This is my friend Denise Tomas."

"Hi," Denise said, and held out her hand to Hinata, "And you are...?"

"Um...hi. My, um...my name's Hinata White," she said, getting up and shaking Denise's hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Corey Smith," the long-haired boy said, offering his hand to the boy at his right.

"My name's Shaun Anderson," he said, shaking his hand, "I recently moved into a neighbourhood about a bus ride away."

"The Tomas family is taking me in as my foster home," Hinata said slowly, "My own family...has met difficulties."

"My roomate, Kyle Douglas, and I moved into our apartment next door a couple weeks ago," Nar...uh..._Nat_ said, "We transferred to your school for the athletics program. Sorry that Kyle couldn't come over here, but his five dogs would have scared your cat."

It was true. Kiba and Naruto had 'remembered' that they lived in the same building as Denise, and were, in fact, next door neighbours to her. 'Kyle' was staying with the dogs now; he had left when Corey needed to keep explaining the portal to Naruto.

Michelle looked at each of the three new students, and pictured Kyle in her mind.

"You all look-" she started.

"Older?" Hinata spoke up, uncharacteristically, "We are. I'm 16 now; grade eleven. Kyle, Nat and Shaun were walking me home, right after meeting me as we were signing up at your school. We're all older."

_She's so outgoing,_ Michelle and Denise thought, _Events that happened to her in _this_ world made her a little different._

"...That explains it!" Denise exclaimed after a pause.

"Explains what?" Naruto asked, as everyone turned to the (now youngest by two years) girl.

"How all of us are possible! And the memories!"

"...Ok, now you explain," Michelle ordered, looking straight at her friend.

"Haven't you wondered where these memories come from? Either they're planted into people's minds to...accomodate our presence, or we sort of..._take over_ the lives of people who are already here," Denise said, eyes shining.

"Go on," Shino prompted, as Corey and Hinata nodded.

"A couple weeks ago, I know for sure that I started seeing two boys occasionally enter the apartment next door," Denise said, thinking, _I also was wondering if there was shounen-ai involved, but I'm not saying anything now,_ then continued speaking, "I didn't recognize them at the time, but I _did_ notice that the shorter boy was blonde, and the taller boy was this gangster dude with a dog fet-...I mean...obsession."

_Dog fetish just sounds wrong,_ Denise thought.

"Those could be implanted memories though," Corey argued.

"Yes, but see...I caught a glimpse of their faces. In hindsight, I know that they were Naruto and Kiba. But at the time, I couldn't make the connection between Nat and Naruto," Denise finished.

"So how come you recognize us now?" Naruto asked, barely grasping this whole idea.

"Because we came through our own portal, and they saw us in our own world already," Shino said, the truth dawning on him as he said it.

There was a weighty pause; all six of the teens slowly digested what they had just discovered.

"...ACK, MY BRAIN!" Nat finally exclaimed, holding his head in his hands, "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!"

"I guess we'd better explain all this to Kiba. Kyle, I mean," Shino said, getting up. Shaun.

"I'll tell him," Corey said, getting up, and everyone else following, "I leave nearby, so I don't need to think of the time it takes to go home. Michelle, um...and Shaun, you two had better head home. It's getting late."

"I hear you," Michelle said, already with her coat on, "I'll see you guys- oh shoot!"

As Michelle was picking up her backpack, she hadn't realized it was unzipped. When she lifted it by the handle on the back, all of her binders, papers, and some manga cascaded out of the bag, arranging itself on the floor.

"Great..." Michelle sighed, and knelt to pick up her stuff.

Corey and Denise helped her put her things away, but one manga book dropped by Nat, who was on the floor.

"Hey, why is this book blank?" Nat asked, flipping through the small softcover.

Denise did a double take.

_That's...wait, he thinks it's blank?_ she thought.

"Why is there nothing on the pages?" Naruto asked again, as Denise's cat left Hinata and sniffed the book.

"Um...it's a small sketchbook I'm giving to a friend," Michelle lied, when she saw that Denise was stunned.

The two friends glanced at each other, both looking very confused.

_They can't read it..._

"Is she an artist?" Hinata asked, oblivious to the girls' looks.

"She likes drawing manga and-" Denise started.

"And porn. Linda loves porn," Corey added, taking the book from Nat and handing it into Michelle.

"Now that isn't very nice," Michelle chided, shaking her head.

"You know it's true," Corey said, opening Denise's door.

Shaun put on his shoes, following Michelle, Corey and Nat into the hall.

"You two take care, on the bus," Hinata said, waving to Shaun and Michelle.

"We will," Michelle said, smiling at her friend, and Shaun merely nodded.

The former bug-user and former Hyuuga-heir shared eye-contact for a second. Hinata gave Shino a stern look, which he met for a moment before looking down and passing out of her sight, much to her disappointment. Denise and Michelle, oblivious of the look Hinata gave Shino, glanced at each other, then at the book the older girl held. It was a copy of _'Naruto: Volume 5'._

_They can't read their manga at all,_ Denise thought, closing the apartment door behind Michelle, _Our two worlds must have some kinds of rules between them; they can't know that they're from a story in our world. That's good. Very good. ...Are _we_ a manga in Naruto's world? ...Let's not think about that._

_If they can't read their own manga, then it's perfectly safe to take them along with us to that Anime con this weekend, _Michelle thought, walking down the hallway.

She pushed the button to the elevator as Corey walked in the opposite direction, towards the other apartment, with Nat. The girl felt Shaun's eyes on her back, but she acted as if she couldn't. Stepping backwards, Michelle found herself standing beside Shaun, staring at the closed elevator doors. Seconds ticked by, and still neither spoke.

_Did you miss me?_ Michelle thought, _...Stupid thought; it was only like four days. ...Did you care?_

_I found you, _Shaun thought, _...but now what? I can't look, hear, or feel you all at once. Not as bad as before...but still._

A bell rang, and the elevator doors slid open. Stepping inside, Michelle first, both turned around, and after Shaun pressed the button, there was silence again. Staring at the front of the elevator, Michelle found herself glancing at Shaun in the corner of her eye.

_This is ridiculous,_ Michelle mentally kicked herself, not knowing that Shaun was doing the same, _I should say something; maybe then he would talk. But what? Nice weather...no, it's freezing outside. Um..._

"I missed you."

Michelle froze; her eyes widened a little, and she found herself no longer breathing. Her heart was beating into overtime, though. Turning her head slowly, she looked at Shaun; he was still staring at the doors. Even as they arrived at the ground floor, he didn't look at her; he walked out of the elevator perfectly calmly, and Michelle began wondering if she was hearing things.

"...How have you been, Shaun?" Michelle asked, following him out of the apartment.

"All right," the boy shrugged, and Michelle realized that switching worlds hadn't changed him as much as Hinata.

"And the kikaichu?" Michelle asked, walking beside him on the sidewalk.

"...They're all right," Shino said after a pause, and noticed something.

The boy fell back silently, walking behind Michelle, then maneuvered and pushed Michelle gently so that he was on the side closer to the street.

"I can feel them in this world, but they seem to be asleep. Hibernating, I suppose; it's winter here," Shaun continued, as if he hadn't done anything.

"Oh," Michelle said lamely, then, "...I missed you too."

Shaun felt himself suddenly grinning, and smoothed his face out; his collar in this world wasn't high enough for his liking.

"Where do you live?" Michelle asked, as they neared the bus stop.

When Shino said the address, Michelle raised her eyebrows, surprised.

"Really? That's right behind my house," she said.

"Then I guess I'm your new neighbour," Shaun said, with a small smile.

"I guess so," Michelle nodded, "...You're not some kind of stalker, right?"

Shaun kicked a bit of snow at Michelle, who laughed.

_I really did miss you...and I'm so glad I can talk to you now...soon the bugs will stop affecting me._

_Miss me, miss me, now you gotta...and we'll end that thought there.

* * *

_

A/N: Aw...cute moment. It's a longer chapter than usual, to make up for all the short ones. But I hate their english names...they seem so ugly compared to the Japanese ones.

Pauline: Me too! I hate them so much!

Denise: Same!

Michelle: Definitely!

A/N: By the way, Hinata's name is the same, because she's cool, and if I _had_ changed it, it would have been "Hannah" or something, and since Kiba's sister is named "Hana", I thought that would be too confusing.

Pauline: Thank you for _not_ changing it!

A/N: Also, if you're wondering why Shino did that...thing with the sidewalk, here's his explanation:

Shino: ...

A/N: Come on, Shino. Explain.

Shino: ...I don't want to. Explain it yourself.

A/N: Do you want to die in this fanfic?

Shino: (long pause) It's an old tradition for the male in a couple to walk on the part of the sidewalk closest to the traffic. Think of it as chivalry, rather than male chauvinism; the boy is, in a way, protecting the girl. It's a sign of respect, concern and affection.

A/N: And? Who taught you that?

Shino: (silence)

A/N: (elbows Shino) Come on, Shino. Tell them...

Shino: (mumbles something unintelligible)

A/N: (leans toward Shino) Sorry? What was that?

Shino: My mother taught me that...

A/N: (points at Shino) HAH! WHO'S A MOMMA'S BOY? (turns back to reader,smiles) Ok, so review, you!


	7. Saturday, Dec 17: Arriving at the Con

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, MSN messenger, a driver's license, whatever manga Princess Ai comes from, black elegance, I don't know how to spell 'bootlagged' (that's how _I_ pronounce it...), _Tsubasa _(which is awesome!), Sailor Mercury and that kid from _Sailor Moon _(who is that piper kid from the movie...?), Darres or Ishtar from _Vampire Game_ (lots of fun), _XXXholic_ (also cool), oh, and an Anime Conference. I don't own the idea of an Con or an actual Con. Because...that would just be insane...

* * *

Michelle and Shaun were sitting on Michelle's front steps, waiting for a friend of Denise's to pick her up. On MSN the night before, the two girls, Corey, and Pauline had done some serious planning.

* * *

_So they can't find out about themselves being in a manga?_ 'Paulineee )' had typed.

_Nope. _'Itachi, my love...' had typed.

_Isn't it great? Now we can take your boyfriend and everyone else to the Anime con! _'Michiko Special' had typed.

_can we get on with this _'I must convey. Life is meaningless' had typed.

-'I must convey. Life is meaningless'

_Corey, you have to learn how to type. _-'Michiko Special'

_i no how to type _-'I must convey. Life is meaningless'

_Whatever. So...is Kiba gonna be there tomorrow, then? _-Paulineee )

_His name is Kyle now. And probably. Hinata says 'hi', btw, _-Itachi, my love...

_How come Hinata's name didn't change? _-Paulineee )

_Can you think of any other name? Besides, Kiba's sister's name is Hana anyway. _-Michiko Special

_So I'll tell my ride to pick you guys up? _-Itachi, my love...

_Is there room?_ -I must convey. Life is meaningless.

_I have my own ride. -_Paulineee )

_You, me, Michelle, Shino, Kiba, Naruto, Hinata...and the van fits 7...yeah. -_Itachi, my love...

_Hey, what about the driver? _-Michiko Special

... -Itachi, my love...

... -I must convey. Life is meaningless.

_g2g. bye! _-Paulineee )

_'Paulineee )' has left the conversation_

_...guys, who's driving? _-Michiko Special

(another long, awkward pause)

_IT'S COREY, ISN'T IT!_ -Michiko Special

_actually..._ -I must convey. Life is meaningless.

_COREY, YOU DON'T HAVE A LICENSE! -_Michiko MAD!

_Pauline, you knew, didn't you!_ -Michiko MAD!

_would you rather that denise drove -_I must convey. Life is meaningless.

_'Itachi, my love...' has left the conversation_

-'I must convey. Life is meaningless'

_You can't be serious! _-Michiko MAD!

_'I must convey. Life is meaningless' has left the conversation_

_COREY! THAT ISN'T SAFE! _-Michiko MAD!

_MSN was unable to send the message: "COREY! THAT ISN'T SAFE!"_

_AAAAARGH! -_Michiko MAD!

_MSN was unable to send the message: "AAAAARGH!"

* * *

_

Michelle snapped back to reality.

"I can't believe those guys..." she muttered, tugging on a lock of hair.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Shaun said, sitting on the step behind her.

"I know; me too. But it's the _principle_ of the thing," Michelle said, seeing a white van pull into her driveway and getting up.

Corey stuck his head out of the window and waved. Denise was in the front seat beside him, and she yelled a 'Hurry up!' out of her own window. With a suppressed growl, Michelle jogged ahead of Shino and jumped into the van without another word. It was now time to go to the semi-annual Anime Conference.

Illegal driving is also bad. Do not illegally drive.

"Michelle, Pauline, Hinata, hurry up!" Denise exclaimed.

All four girls were in one of the conference's washrooms; Denise was sitting on the counter beside the sinks, in her long, black Princess Ai costume. The other three were getting changed, all into costumes that Denise had sewn herself. And all three were embarrassed to come out.

_Hinata suddenly gets back into character, and look what happens, _Denise grumbled to herself.

"There is _no_ way I'm coming out in this," Michelle said, sounding scandalized.

"It's your colour, it's perfect for your figure, and custom-made for you...I don't see what your problem is," Denise said.

"I'll bet you don't," Michelle growled, looking at herself.

"I feel so fat!" Pauline exclaimed, half laughing, half whimpering.

"It's loose! I made it that way!" Denise exclaimed back.

"Exactly!" Pauline said, adjusting herself.

"You can't make me come out," Hinata whisper-yelled.

"You wanna bet?" Denise growled, only half-joking, "Come on, guys...don't you want them to see you?"

Michelle visualised Shino laughing his head off at her outfit; it seemed out of character, but likely. Pauline saw Kiba making snide remarks about how she should have stuck with her jeans and sweater; either that or not caring because he couldn't bring Akamaru to the con. Hinata felt that even if Naruto saw her, he wouldn't care.

"No _way_," Michelle wailed.

"Easy for you to say, Denise," Pauline said, "You're in black elegance. I'm purple!"

"Like he'd notice," Hinata mumbled bitterly, playing with her fingers.

"All three of you come out willingly, or I'll soak your normal clothes so you'll _have_ to stay in here," Denise threatened.

"Like I care," Pauline said defiantly, sitting down on the toilet seat, but Hinata and Michelle quickly got out of their stalls.

"You may want to rethink that last statement, cousin of mine," Michelle said, rushing to her clothes to make sure they were safe and dry.

"I think Deniizu means what she says," Hinata agreed, talking to Pauline's stall's door.

"I'm not coming out."

"Your loss," Denise said, then turned to the other two girls, "Now, for your hair..."

Michelle saw the look in her friend's eye, and put her hands on her hips and sighed.

"Oh no. Don't tell me you're in a creating- ow!" Michelle was interrupted by Denise yanking her pony-tail's hairtie out, "Be careful! That hurt!"

"Hinata, start combing your hair; I'll work on you after," Denise ordered.

Hinata slowly took a green hairbrush from Michelle's backpack and obeyed, as Denise styled the eldest girl's hair, and Pauline sulked in her stall.

Denise is in a creating mood! Beware! Doom, destruction, and new hairdos for all!

Corey was part of security in the Anime conference, so he needed to stay in pretty much one spot: by a large display of DVDs. Kyle was with him, waiting for the girls to arrive; Nat and Shaun were in a washroom, also getting into costumes.

_I bet these are bootlagged,_ Corey thought, eyeing the mechandise he was supposed to guard.

"Do you find it weird that Denise had extra _boy_ costumes at home?" Kiba asked.

"Not really. Why didn't _you _choose one? There was plenty of choice," Corey said, glaring at a group suspicious-looking teenagers so that they left.

"I'm perfectly comfortable in my sweater and jeans, thanks," Kyle answered, looking at one of the DVDs, "Hey, _Tsubasa_! I love this manga!"

"You have _Tsubasa _in your world?" Denise asked, suddenly appearing from behind the display.

"Whoa!" Kyle exclaimed, almost dropping the volume, "Don't do that! And, sure. Why not? It's about different dimensions."

"Sounds fitting, don't you think?" Shaun asked dryly, coming from the aisle that Kyle had his back to.

"Dude! Don't do that!" Kyle exclaimed, again fumbling with the DVD, "Nice costume, by the way, Denise."

"Thanks!"

Denise smiled as she twirled in her long, black, flowing dress, looking a little Gothic, but a little Renaissance at the same time.

"Where's everyone else?" Corey asked, looking around for the others.

"Michelle and Hinata are putting some stuff into a locker for safekeeping," Denise explained, "And Pauline is hiding in the washroom."

"Oh..." Kiba looked disappointed; after seeing the other girl costumes, he was wondering what Pauline would be in. He also hadn't seen Pauline in about five days.

"Nat's at the lockers as well," Shaun added.

"I'm glad that costume I made last year got used," Denise said, eyeing Shaun's costume, "The guy who ordered it ended up not coming...it'd look better without the sunglasses, you know," Denise pointed out, and Corey and Kyle couldn't help but nod.

"Not a chance," Shaun said firmly, adjusting his sunglasses, and that was the end of the discussion, "...I think I'll go look for the others."

What _is_ underneath Shino's sunglasses? Hm...

"Shit, shit, shit! WHY WON'T IT OPEN!"

Nat had tried the locker's combination five times, and still it hadn't opened, so now he was giving punching a try. Violence wasn't solving the problem either.

"Why won't you open! I just want to put my backpack away!" Nat whined at the locker, "Just open for me once, and I won't bother you again!"

"What about afterwards, when you need to open it again? What happens then?" a teasing voice asked.

Nat turned around and saw that Michelle and Hinata were there, also with bags.

"Oh, hi guys!" Naruto exclaimed, turning and scratching the back of his head, embarrassed, "How are you two doing?"

"Better than you, it looks like," Michelle said, opening the locker beside Nat's in one try.

"Yeah, whatever, showoff. That was just luck," Nat said, pouting.

Hinata hid a smile as she opened the locker on the other side of Nat's easily. Nat paled, then hit his head against his own locker.

"Not fair!" he whined, as Hinata and Michelle shared a smile, putting their stuff away.

"Um...how about you give me your combination, and I'll help you?" Hinata suggested, holding out a hand.

"Hey, hey, what if you steal my stuff?" Nat asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

Hinata looked down, upset, and Michelle rolled her eyes.

"Come _on_, Nat, this is _Hinata_ we're talking about. She's perfectly trustworthy."

"...ok. I'm trusting you," Nat said, grudgingly handing the paper over.

Hinata took one look at the paper, and stifled a giggle.

"...Nat...you were looking at the numbers upside-down..." she whispered, deliberately opening his locker.

"What!"

Nat looked at the paper, and the open locker, then sighed.

"This isn't fair..." he sighed, taking the paper back and putting away his normal clothes, "Thanks, Hinata."

"No problem," she blushed, twisting her hands and looking down.

That's when both of them noticed the other's costumes.

"Hinata...you're Sailor Mercury for _Sailor Moon_!"

"And _you're_ that kid in the movie!" Hinata gasped, "I can't quite...remember...what's his name?"

_Aw...Denise got them costumes from the same anime..._Michelle thought, grinning in the background and on her way to leave them alone.

"You look great, Hinata!"

"R-really?" Hinata turned bright red, "...your costume suits you too..."

"Aw, thanks, Hinata!"

_Ah! They're so kawaii! So adorable! So- Oh my gosh..._

Michelle's grin faded into an expression of awe; instead of walking away, she froze in her spot; not that Hinata and Nat noticed.

_No way...wow..._

She had just caught sight of Shaun.

What's going on! What's he wearing! How come Fanfiction doesn't allow '!' and '?' right beside each other!

Shaun eventually found his way to the lockers, and that's where he caught sight of Michelle; he stopped in his tracks.

_...she's...she's...wow..._

Michelle had to stare; Shino was wearing the full armor of Darres, the knight in _Vampire Game_, and looking quite stylish. Denise's hard work had been quite accurate; the armor looked real. He even had a sword, and somehow he got his hair styled just right.

_I should say hi. I should tell him he looks incredible. ...why can't I move? _Michelle thought,_ Oh my gosh, I must look stupid! Is my jaw hanging loose? No...but what about my expression? Ack! I can't move! He looks so dashing...wow...I can't move! Oh wow, that costume...!_

Shaun was just as surprised; Michelle was wearing a pale blue dress that Denise had styled from a picture of Ishtar, the princess of _Vampire Game._ The skirt was cut to mid-thigh, and was held up without straps or sleeves somehow; Denise had even found a thick gold necklace and tiara for the costume. Orders from the washroom were still fresh on Michelle's mind; without thinking, she had affected a different posture...poise.

Shaun walked confidently to her; for some reason, he wasn't frozen in place. Three steps away...two...he was right in front of her. And neither could look away.

"You...wow..." Michelle squeaked, and clapped a hand over her mouth.

Shino had barely managed to get his eyes closed as she spoke.

_Don't look and listen at the same time...the bugs with react. And you will._

Glancing to make sure she was no longer speaking, he managed to close his eyes just as he touched her hand, as he pulled it away from her mouth.

"Relax," Shaun whispered, looking at her hand as he spoke, then letting it drop, in case she answered.

_Speaking and touch...not good. Be very, very careful, Shino._

"...wow..." Michelle clasped her head between her hands, "Darnit! Why..." she looked at him again, then dropped her gaze, feeling her ears burning.

Shino let out a low laugh that melted her knees.

"I think I understand...You're exquisite."

Darned awkward moments...! Hinata's having a better time than Michelle...

Pauline opened her stall door and glanced around; she was bored of waiting for someone to tell her that it was perfectly ok for her to not wear the costume.

_No-one's here...they really _did_ leave._

Then she looked at the counter and saw her clothes; with a cry, she ran to her bag.

_And she really did soak my clothes! No! Now I'm stuck like this!_

Pauline slumped down over the stuff that was dry, being a drama queen for a moment.

"I can't believe this..."

The 16-year-old looked at what she was lying on, and saw that Denise had left her costume's props behind.

_Might as well play the part,_ Pauline thought, sighing, and examined a printout Denise had also left, showing a picture of her character so that Pauline knew what to do with the intricate items.

This is why you believe Denise's threats before they're carried out.

Kyle was the last one left by the DVDs, where the teens had arranged to meet. Corey had his post moved, and Denise wanted to see what everyone else looked like now, so Kiba was the one who got to wait for Pauline. Not that he minded; he was curious to see her costume, he just didn't like feeling as if he were ditched.

_I wish Akamaru could've come,_ he thought wistfully, _Dumb people...worrying that someone might be allergic..._

He was looking at a copy of _Xxxholic _when he was tapped on the shoulder.

"Hey, um...Kyle? Where is everyone?" a familiar voice asked.

Kiba looked up and saw Pauline. Or at least...she looked a whole lot like Pauline. But she also looked a whole lot like-

"You look like Yuura! From _Xxxholic_! And _Tsubasa_!" Kiba exclaimed, "Only...dark purple instead of black...but you need really bright lights to see that so it's ok! Wow! That's excellent! Denise made that!"

"Yeah! She's great, isn't she?" Pauline smiled, but it soon faded and she looked down, "Does it look ok?"

"It's great! The costume is awesome!" Kyle said, nodding enthusiastically.

"...just the costume..." Pauline asked in a low voice, her eye twitching.

"The costume's so cool!" Kyle said, still loud, but calmed down when he got a better look at her expression, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Of course! The _costume's_ just great!" Pauline exclaimed, exasperated, and stomped away, "Forget it. I'll find everyone myself."

Kyle was confused, and tried to keep up with her, struggling to figure out what was wrong.

"Hey, what? What'd I say? Why're you so mad? Pauline, hey! I haven't seen you in so long, and you're like _this_? Pauline, wait up!"

Remember, compliment the outfit, _and_ the girl. Otherwise, you will have a worse time than Michelle.

Denise stood by Corey, whose post was now by one of the session rooms. All the others were mingling in the crowd: Michelle, Hinata and Nat were examining plushies, Shino was looking at a display of CDs with Pauline, and Kiba was looking at what different tables had to offer. The Princess Ai sighed, and Corey looked at her.

"What's up?"

"...nothing..."

Denise leaned on the wall behind her and tried to enjoy herself. Not working.

"Why aren't you over there with everyone else?" Corey asked, gesturing at the others.

Nat was getting the two girls to laugh, making voices for different plushies. Pauline and Shino were discussing which was better: traditional Japanese music, or LEAD (of course). Kiba was trying to bargain the price of a decorated armband with one of the vendors. Denise sighed again; at least Corey had a purpose.

"I just don't feel like it," Denise answered sadly, "And I don't wanna just leave you here."

"...it's Itachi, isn't it?"

Denise winced; sometimes Corey was just _too_ perceptive.

"It's just..." Denise shrugged and shook her head, "Everyone else gets a date-"

"Hi," Corey said pointedly.

"Ok, _every girl_ in our group has a date except me. That sucks."

Corey stayed silent; he had no answers. Then he noticed a 17-year-old boy with a black ponytail.

"Look over there," Corey instructed, and Denise looked. And a smile broke over her face.

The boy was wearing a pair of worn-out black jeans, combat boots, a black t-shirt, a leather jacket, and a black bandanna on his forehead, but he was still recognizable.

"Ita-!" Denise swallowed the name as it was halfway out her mouth.

_Don't say his name. It'll call attention to us, and _that_ may be a problem, _Denise mentally kicked herself.

Denise gave Corey a grateful smile, who gave her a quick thumbs-up, and rushed to meet the tall, handsome teen.

"Hi," Denise said, stopping just in front of him.

"Hey," the boy greeted, with a small smile, "I'm Isaac. And you are...?"

"Denise," she said, reaching up to touch his face, checking to see if he was real, "You're here."

"I followed your friends," Isaac explained, taking her hand in his, "I didn't follow you into your home; those genins probably wanted to adjust to this world before dealing with me."

"Where have you been?" Denise asked, "And how did you find me?"

"I've been following you," Itachi said, "I'll explain later. Right now, let's just get through this thing with all these people."

* * *

A/N: AND THEN THERE'S ITACHI! ITACHI IS THE NINJA THAT FOLLOWED TEAM 8 AND NARUTO! Ok, enough capitals...Yes, the group is in an Anime Con. Would you have it any other way? ...ok, maybe you would. Just...review, darnit! 


	8. Saturday, Dec 17: Poor Kiba

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, a rampage, Kareoke Revolution (I can't even sing!), "Kanashima wo Yasashisa Ni" (but I _do_ love it), _Beauty and the Beast_ (I love Belle! Belle is my rolemodel!), a secret mike, a $50 bill (though it would be nice...) a van, J-pop, or a big bag of cosplayer costumes. But that would be cool.

* * *

Itachi, or 'Isaac' now, had been using his rampage as a means to hurry Team 8 along in their search for Deniizu. A clone was the one who had been doing damage; Itachi himself had been following the three genins around Konoha. When Team 8 and Naruto came across this new portal on the edge of the training field, all Itachi had to do was wait a decent interval after they entered, and follow them through. 

Upon finding himself in our dimension, the newly-named Isaac had watched as the seven friends entered Denise's house, and decided that it would be best if he did not make an appearance just yet. He had also noticed that the scenes underneath the surface of the 'pond-portal' had frozen; now the group knew that as soon as any 'witnesses' from Konoha were in Denise and company's world, time stopped in Konoha once again. Isaac, still 17, had then watched and waited in his apartment (which was in a building neighbouring Denise's) until Denise left the next day, and had easily followed her all the way to the Anime Conference.

After Isaac had joined the group of teens, there followed a whirlwind of sessions and inside jokes that proved worthy of the above-average Anime Con. Hinata, Pauline, Michelle and Denise's highest point had been in one of the conference's sessions: bellydancing. Shaun had immediately gained a spontaneous interest in one of the movies that was scheduled for that time slot; Kyle had managed to drag Nat away and followed Shaun, while Isaac joined Corey, who was still on duty. What was the movie? ...none of the other-life shinobi could remember; they hadn't really paid attention to it. Let's just say their minds had been...elsewhere.

Hah...ok, I'm done.

That evening, Nat and Corey ended up 'hunting' for the group's dinner, while Isaac and Denise disappeared mysteriously. Kyle, Pauline, Shaun, Hinata, and Michelle decided to spend their last couple hours with kareoke.

Things had started off well; Hinata and Michelle did a fair duet rendition of "Kanashima wo Yasashisa Ni" (with a nice score of 87). In hindsight, the main reasons they didn't get perfect were because (1) they were too shy to sing very loud, and (2) they had a rough start. After about 20 minutes of trying to coax Shaun into singing, Pauline took pity on her friend.

"Guys, leave him alone," Pauline pleaded.

"Oh, come on; one of you have to sing," Michelle protested, rolling her eyes.

"It wouldn't be fair if you didn't," Hinata added, a wide grin spread across her face.

Pauline shook her head, but she still smiled.

_I wish Hinata would act like this around Naruto,_ Shino thought, _He'd notice her more, but she always loses her nerve._

"I refuse to sing," Shino said out loud.

"Well, someone has to," Kiba said, for the umpteenth time.

"Why don't you?" Hinata asked, teasingly.

"Ok, you _know_ you don't want to hear me sing," Kiba said pointedly.

"I remember that kareoke night Hanabi set up," Hinata reminisced, "Three people were hospitalized."

"If you value your ears and ability to hear, _never _listen to him sing," Shino advised Pauline and Michelle.

All three girls laughed as Kyle took an angry swat at Shaun's head. The latter easily ducked, and Kyle frowned.

"If I'm so bad, why don't you go sing and teach me a few pointers?" Kiba challenged.

"Not a chance. Though you _do_ need the help," Shino added thoughtfully, and jumped out of the way as Kyle tried to body-slam him.

"Give it up, guys. _I'll_ go," Pauline finally sighed, and marched up to the kareoke machine.

The group was silent for a minute or two as they watched her select a song from the thick, telephonebook-sized directory of songs, then Kyle finally broke out into huge grin.

"Excellent. Thanks, Shaun," Kyle said, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"My pleasure," the Darres-cosplayer said, a tiny smile on his face.

"...what?" Michelle asked, confused, as Kyle disappeared into the crowd.

"We came here just before going to that movie," Shaun explained, eyes trained to the microphones where Pauline now stood, "Kyle managed to bribe someone into saving a 'secret mike' for him."

"What for?" Hinata asked, looking for Kyle in the crowd.

"Don't watch for him; Pauline will know something's up," Shino said, "Anyway, Kiba knows Pauline's favourite kareoke song already."

"_Beauty and the Beast_," Michelle nodded.

"Exactly. It can be sung in a duet," Shino hinted, and waited for the two girls to understand.

"...He's going to sing the harmony?" Hinata asked excitedly.

"Yes," Shino affirmed.

"That's so sweet of him," Hinata gasped, but Michelle was still confused.

"I don't get it...You said he _couldn't_ sing."

"Oh, but he can," Hinata corrected, shaking her head, "He just likes to keep it a secret. But since he's such a close friend to Shino and I, we know that he can sing."

"That's...interesting, to say the least," Michelle said thoughtfully, and watched as Pauline began her song.

Aw...Kiba can be sweet too...

The first part was the female singer's verse; Pauline was confident on stage, having sung in a choir for several years now.

"She's so beautiful," Hinata whispered to Michelle, who nodded, proud of her cousin's talent.

Kiba, in a dark corner, grinned to himself; he hoped Pauline would like what he was doing.

Then it was the male singer's part; a mellow baritone began to sing over Pauline's voice, much to her surprise. The boy's voice seemed perfect for the piece, and as Pauline joined him for the chorus, their voices blended wonderfully.

"That's Kiba?" Michelle whispered to her friends, awed, but as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realised something was amiss, "What is it?" she asked, looking first at Hinata, then Shino.

"That's not Kiba," Shino rumbled, his voice suddenly harsh, "Someone took his idea."

"Kiba sounds much better," Hinata added, looking around for the mystery singer.

Michelle frowned; who took Kiba's mike? It didn't seem right to her that Kiba couldn't do something touching for his own girlfriend.

The song ended, and soon everyone in the room was looking around for the mystery singer.

_What the hell?_ Kiba thought, looking at the man at the sound board.

All he got for an answer was a shrug, a smirk, and a glimpse of a $50 bill.

_That greedy bastard..._

Who was the rich, evil little...I mean...

A young man, really just a teenager, stepped up to the front; Pauline, Michelle, and several girls in the audience's jaws dropped.

"You can't be serious," Michelle whispered, suddenly very, very angry.

"Who is it?" Hinata asked, and Shino looked at her in the corner of his eye.

"Oh my gosh..." Pauline accidentally whispered into the mike, "You're..."

"SHINYA!" a group of girls in the crowd shrieked.

"Who's Shinya?" Hinata asked.

"He's only been Pauline's J-pop obsession for 6 months," Michelle growled, "I hate that guy! Pauline got like 50 viruses from downloading his pictures...and she's still downloading his stuff!"

"So why did he take Kiba's mike?" Shaun asked, as the two people up front shared a friendly hug.

"Did you know, _Beauty in the Beast_ is my favourite song from Disney?" the J-pop idol asked, talking into the mike with his Japanese accent, "When I heard this girl was going to sing it, I _had_ to sing with her!"

"There's your answer," Michelle grumbled, crossing her arms.

Shinya kept talking on and on, but the three friends in the audience weren't listening, though Pauline seemed transfixed. Michelle wanted to drag her cousin off-stage and away from her favourite singer, thinking, _Ugh, and her obsession seemed to be going down, too._ Hinata wanted to find Kiba and take care of him; _He must be so upset now..._ Shino knew better; as the two girls began walking in opposite directions, he stopped both of them.

"Kyle will want to be left to sort this out on his own," Shaun said, still looking at Pauline and Shinya, "Pauline may just be star-struck; give her some time. Right now, let's just visit the tables for the last time, and then meet everyone outside so we can leave."

There was a short, thoughtful pause, and both girls nodded reluctantly. Shaun turned them around by their shoulders, and gave them a slight push towards the door; as he followed, he stole a glance backwards at Kyle. The boy was no longer in his corner.

Darn ye, Shinya!

While Shaun had been speaking to Hinata and Michelle, Kyle had quietly slipped out of the kareoke room. From there he had gone straight outside into the evening, to wait by the van that Corey had (illegally) driven. Exiting the main doors of the large building, Kyle slowly ambled through the rows and rows of parked cars, searching for the one white van.

_What happened there?_

Kyle thought he saw the right van, but looking at the license plate, he realised it was a different vehicle.

_She's met her favourite artist; where do I stand now? ...I wish I hadn't come here..._

Kyle reached one end of the parking lot, and turned around to search the rest of it.

_Come on, Kiba. She's _your_ girlfriend._

At this moment, Kyle passed the van he was looking for; he didn't quite notice it.

_But she likes that Shinya guy. A lot. He's supposed to be really cool in real life._

Discovering that he had been staring at the ground in front of this feet the entire time, Kyle straightened and looked around. He was standing a few metres away from the other end of the lot; turning around, he saw the van was a few rows behind him. He took a few steps towards it, then noticed a large shadow beside it.

_Denise and...Isaac. I'd better not bother them,_ Kyle thought, turning back to the edge of the parking lot.

The 16-year-old boy sat on the curb and supported his chin with a fist; propping his elbow up in his knee.

_I wish Akamaru were here. Or Michiko,_ Kyle thought moodily, _I could use someone to talk to._

Denise heard him sigh, and made an annoyed sound.

"You want to go to him?" Isaac asked, looking down at the girl he had his arms around.

"No...well, I do, but only because I'll feel bad if I don't," Denise mumbled, burying her face in the front of Isaac's jacket.

"Go ahead. I might as well head home now anyway; the others are coming," Isaac said, unwrapping his arms from Denise.

"Sorry..." Denise started, but Isaac waved it off as he stepped away.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Isaac said over his shoulder, and disappeared into the night.

"He's so cool..." Denise whispered dreamily, then shook her head, "Ugh, I'm such a _girl_."

The 14-year-old walked to Kyle and sat beside him.

"So," Denise said, sitting the same way the ex-dog-user was.

"Hey," Kyle said, noticing she was no longer in her Princess Ai outfit, "Have a good make-out fest?"

Denise's eye twitched.

"Do you want to talk or not?" Denise asked sharply, then took a deep breath and softened her tone, "What happened?"

Kyle hesitated; Kiba and Deniizu hadn't been very close in Konoha. But after a little thought, he knew that the girl was trustworthy, and explained the whole scene inside the kareoke room. Denise listened quietly, nodding every now and then to show that she was listening.

_This guy is so insecure,_ Denise thought, _Does he really think his relationship is doomed from one stupid kareoke song? ...but then again...if this happened with Itachi...not that he sings, but still._

"...You're reading into it too much," Denise said, when Kyle was finished.

"Huh?" Kyle was startled.

"This isn't that big of a problem; did you expect me to say something more deep?"

"No, it's not that," Kyle said, shaking his head, "...Michiko says that all the time. You sounded just like her."

"We've known each other for a while and been through a lot," Denise said, rolling her eyes, "Of course I'd say one of her phrases once in a while. She does the same with me."

"That's so weird..." Kyle said, still shaking his head.

"I think this is a _little_ off-topic," Denise said, "...Or maybe it's not. If you take Michelle's advice, and I just said something that she says all the time, maybe there's some truth there."

"Got it," Kyle nodded, seeing the others gathering at the front doors of the building, "Don't read into it too much."

Denise rolled her eyes, not unkindly, and both of them got up and walked towards the others. As they neared, both heard Pauline talking; none of the others noticed Kyle or Denise approaching.

"...so _cool!_ And did you hear what he said to me? 'Pauline, you sing like a dream.' Isn't that great? Shinya's so nice, don't you think?" Pauline asked Michelle, both no longer in their costumes, Pauline in slightly damp and wrinkly clothes.

Kyle blanched and headed back to the van; Denise tried to grab his shoulder, but he shook her off.

"I'll wait at the van," Kyle mumbled, walking with his head down.

"What happened?" Corey asked Denise in a whisper as she walked by him, but she shook her head.

"What's wrong with Kyle?" Hinata asked Denise, handing her a large plastic bag of the group's costumes.

"You can ask him later," Denise said in a low voice, "Not around Pauline."

The mentioned 15-year-old kept talking to her cousin about her J-pop star, oblivious to the damage she was doing in Kiba.

* * *

Michiko: (sarcastically) Oo, lookit me, I'm Shinya! I think I'm so _cool_! 

A/N: Um...Michiko-

Michiko: (sarcastically) I think I can sing so well, but I can't! I suck! Oooo...

A/N: Michiko...

Michiko: (normally)What? I'm busy.

A/N: I know you really don't like Shinya-

Michiko: Gr...Shinya with the last name that I can't remember...he is despisable...

A/N: Huh. Big word, that. Must have taken days to memorize.

Michiko: What _is_ his last name, anyway? I know it starts with a 'T'...

A/N: (looking around) Could someone please get her out of here so the readers can review?


	9. Sunday, Dec 18: Snowball fight!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any characters affiliated, any days of the week, Shino's sunglasses (Why won't he take them off? And what's with Kakashi's mask?), an Anime Con (Hehe...AC...air conditioning...), bling, a snowy hill (or any hill), a leather glove/gag, a traditional wooden sled, Naruto-flavoured dog food, or the concept ofa snowball fight.

A/N: I'm sorry for updating so slowly now. I'm in summer school, which upset my parents, so I'm not allowed on the computer. I'm breaking school rules topost this, so please understand! By the way, the underlined parts are the dogs speaking, like how italics are what people are thinking.

* * *

Shaun woke up that Sunday, when pale sunlight was shown in his bedroom window. Checking the time, he saw that it was already 10:37am. 

_Winter means the skies are often overcast; that makes it seem so dark,_ Shaun thought, sitting up and rubbing his eyes before automatically reaching for his sunglasses.

His left hand met the wall opposite the window, instead of his nightstand. Opening his eyes, he looked around and saw that his sunglasses were to his right, now; his room was furnished differently than the one in Konoha.

"Ugh..."

Shaun put his glasses on and dragged himself out of bed; the group was meeting at the park in less than half an hour.

But what happened yesterday?

The night before, Pauline had squeezed into the back seat with Denise, Hinata, and Nat; she had had her own ride to the Anime Conference, but now she needed to get to Michelle's house for their weekly sleepover. Kyle had sat in the front with Corey, but that wasn't far enough to get away from Pauline's nonstop chatter about Shinya. By the time Corey had dropped off Michelle, Shaun and Pauline (they were the first to get off, but that was still 20 minutes of driving), Kyle's nerves were shot; he had refused to talk to anyone on the way home.

Now you know.

Pauline was _still_ talking about the night before. From the moment Michelle had awoken (That was 10:23. Pauline was up at 9), as she got changed (slowest 5 minutes of her life), during breakfast (even toast and Nutella can be ruined), and as they left the house, Pauline was reviewing all the little facts about Shinya that she had accumulated in the past several months. While Michelle was digging the family sled out of a snowdrift in their backyard, Pauline hadn't helped. Of course not; she was explaining Shinya's bloodtype and how she got the information. The elder girl was much relieved to see Shaun waiting at the end of her driveway; she thought maybe he would stop her cousin from talking. But no dice.

"And I have this really, really nice picture where Shinya's wearing all this bling and stuff, and he looks _so good!_ Shinya is like the most looking guy in all of Japan! Except...well, maybe except to Kiba. But Shinya's still really, really good looking! And you know how I'm kind of like Keita, that other guy in LEAD? Well, Shinya once said that if he would get a girlfriend, he'd want her to be like the female version of Keita! Isn't that great? Oh! And once, in one of their concerts..."

Michelle gave Shaun a pained look, but all the boy could go was shrug. It's not like either of them could stop the talkative girl once she got started. Pauline ended up walking ahead of the other two on the sidewalk, still talking, and left Michelle, who had a traditional wooden sled on her back, and Shaun in comparative silence behind her.

"How long has she been talking?" Shaun whispered, carefully keeping his eyes away from Michelle.

"Too long," Michelle whispered back, "I'm just glad the park is only three blocks away; as soon as she starts climbing the hill, she'll be saving her breath for screaming and such."

"That's...good?" Shaun nodded unsurely.

"Would you rather this?" Michelle held the sled with one arm to gesture towards her verbose cousin, but ended up overbalancing on the slick ground.

Shaun grabbed the sled with his left hand and steadied Michelle with his right.

"I'll carry the sled for you," Shino offered, tugging on it, but Michelle held onto it.

"I'm all right; I'll just be more careful," Michelle said, continuing walking to catch up to Pauline (who was still chattering away).

"...And Shinya's favourite food is-whoa!"

At that moment, Pauline, who was not paying much attention to where she was going, stepped on an especially slippery patch of ice. Her feet ended up flying up in front of her, and after the stars faded away, she saw that Shaun and Michelle were standing on opposite sides of her; she appeared to be on her back.

"Did I just slip on some ice?" Pauline asked, still a little stunned.

Michelle and Shaun shared a look before looking down at Pauline again.

"Yup," Michelle grinned, and Pauline frowned.

"Well, you don't have to be so cheery about it!"

"...Maybe you should carry _her_," Michelle suggested, already walking towards the now-visible park.

Shaun looked down at Pauline again.

"You wouldn't dare," Pauline glared.

Unfortunately for her, he would.

"No! Get away from me! No! Augh! Shaun, put me down! I swear I'll bite you! ...Hey, what're you doing with that glove? My mouth...NO! NOT IN YOUR LIFE! TAKE THAT GLOVE AWA-MMPH! _MMPH MM-MGG!"_

Three blocks later...

Pauline glared at Nat and Corey, still tasting leather glove in her mouth. That only made them snicker harder; even the five dogs found her situation to be funny.

When Michelle and Shaun had reached the park, they had made quite a dramatic entry once they were at the top of the park's hill, what with the angry Pauline over Shaun's shoulder. Pauline would never live the moment down; or at least not with Nat or Corey; Hinata was too kind to tease her, Denise didn't like teasing people anyway (though she would still wake up in the middle of the night, remember Pauline's face, and chuckle to herself before falling asleep again), Isaac simply didn't care, and Kiba was ignoring her. Now, the group of nine were feeling a little bit childish, save Isaac, who felt very foolish. There was only one sled, which held only two passengers that were teenager-sized, and...

"Did we really all come here to play with a sled?" Corey asked, a wry smile on his face.

"...maybe," Michelle said, looking shifty-eyed.

"Oh my gawd, we're such kids," Denise exclaimed, slapping her hand on her forehead.

"..." Isaac, Shaun, and Kyle (who was still feeling down) just left the rest of the group to sort things out.

"P-perhaps we c-can sort s-something out?" Hinata suggested quietly, but unfortunately only Akamaru heard her.

"I'm cold," Pauline said, sitting on the sled, and four of the dogs sat with her.

"Me too," Naruto nodded, already bored, then, feeling eyes on him, looked down at Porthos.

The mottled dog seemed to be staring at Nat. No, correction: the trickster pup _was_ staring at Nat.

"...What do you want?" Nat asked, staring back at the dog.

...no answer, naturally.

"...stop staring at me," Nat ordered, becoming a little uncomfortable with the situation.

Porthos just continued to look at Nat, thinking, _Hehehe...Just what we need to liven things up here._

Ugh, is Porthos trying to liven things up again? Athos asked his brothers.

It looks like it...good grief, and he's targeted Naruto, Aramis groaned, and Pauline patted his head, Prepare yourselves for pandemonium, my dear humans, Aramis said, looking at the nine friends.

Porthos, are you sure you want to do that? I mean, it's good fun, but Kiba doesn't look like he's in the mood for this, D'Artagnan called to his brother.

Relax, guys, this'll be fun! Porthos barked back.

What're you doing _now_, Porthos? Akamaru asked, walking to the mottled dog.

Just making things interesting, Porthos answered, all the while staring straight at Nat.

_Here we go again,_ Kyle thought, standing by Denise and Corey, _Porthos, what are you starting now?_

Finally, Nat couldn't take the silence any longer.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT!" Nat yelled, pointing in his classic accusing pose at the small dog.

_Mission: Success_, Porthos thought, grinning a doggie grin.

Nat thought the pup was taunting him.

"You think you're so cute, huh?" Nat yelled, kicking a large amount of snow at the puppy.

That raised the hackles in other three of the litter; Nat looked as if he had missed trying to kick Porthos.

Let's get him! Athos growled, and the other two barked in agreement.

"What?" Naruto turned, hearing barking,and saw three irate dogs running towards him, "Oh _crap_!"

Nat ran in the opposite direction, away from the group, and towards the crown of the hill.

Guys, wait! He wasn't trying to kick Porthos! Akamaru barked, giving chase.

Kyle made a shrill whistle before running after them, "Guys, get back here! Cut it out!"

"AAAAH! I'M DOG FOOD!" Nat could be heard in the distance, being tackled first by Aramis.

"What happened?" Hinata asked Michelle.

"I think they thought Nat attacked Porthos, and you _must_ know how packs stick together," Michelle explained hurriedly, already on her way to help Naruto, "Guys, get off of him! I don't have healing jutsu here!"

"Things just got interesting," Corey said to Isaac and Denise, and then the rest of the group hurried to the dogs and Nat. Well...except Isaac and Porthos. Those two took their time.

Kyle was the first there; he pulled Aramis off of Nat, but then D'Artagnan and Athos jumped onto the boy in orange.

"Help me!" Nat whimpered, as Michelle pulled D'Artagnan off of his face.

"You look ridiculous," Michelle chuckled, still holding a wriggling dog.

"Shut up and get this one off!" Nat yelled again, waving his arms and legs uselessly, referring to Athos.

_Naruto-kun!_ Hinata thought, suddenly and irrationally believing that Athos was going to bite Nat's head off; after all, Athos is the strongest.

A white something collided with the brown pup, knocking him off of the loudmouth. Kyle and Michelle (both still holding a puppy each)looked first at a stunned Athos, then a stupefied Nat, then at a shocked Hinata; there was still a little bit of snow in her gloved hands.

"Um...I c-can ex-explain-" Hinata croaked, then got hit in the back by a snowball.

All turned and saw Denise, already scooping up more snow.

"That was half of my dog team!" Denise yelled playfully, and tossed a ball at Kyle, this time, who took it in the head.

"Ow!" Kyle yelped, then, seeing something behind her, bared his teeth in a grin, "You are _so_ going down! And all the girls with you!"

Michelle, Hinata, Pauline, and Denise were all hit, in that order, by well-aimed snowballs. Turning, they saw Shaun and Corey; Shaun was in his classic "summon cloud of bugs so that an ominous cloud hovers around your arms" pose, but with a snowball in each hand, while Corey stood seemingly aloof, his arms straight down beside him, also with snowballs.

"Boys against girls," Corey said in a low, uncharacteristically mischievious voice.

Shaun threw the first snowball, which hit Denise straight on. Nat struggled up and ran towards the boys' side of the hill with Kiba; Pauline and Denise hurried to where Hinata and Michelle already were, and that was when snowy chaos broke out.

Naruto found himself caught between Pauline and Hinata's attacks. Shino actually stumbled backwards from a snowball that Denise threw at his face. Michelle got tripped by Kiba and was half-buried by Akamaru by the time she got up. Corey tried to help Shino with his situation with Denise, throwing a few well-aimed snowballs. Kiba yelped as he was knocked down and found himself looking at Aramis' grinning face.

"Hey! Who's side are you on?" Kiba growled playfully.

Obviously not yours, Aramis answered, as D'Artagnan began to bury the boy, while Akamaru was distracted by Athos.

Itachi watched as Porthos ran to join the fray, then closed his eyes and shook his head, thinking, _foolish children..._

Then the 17-year-old's eyes snapped open as a snowball hit his face; he glared at the now stock-still group before him.

"Who. Threw. That. Snowball?" he asked slowly, carefully emphasizing each word as he scrutinized the eight friends.

"Whoops."

Itachi looked at the speaker, and narrowed his eyes; none of the genins nor Pauline dared to turn and see for themselves; their eyes were trained fearfully on Itachi. Denise stood behind the others, arms crossed and grinning, with Michelle crouched dog-like as if about to run on her right, and Corey standing at ease on her left; the special ninja team were the only ones calm.

"I have bad aim," Denise said cheekily, but that didn't soften Itachi's death glare.

"Killing's illegal here and you don't have any chakra; I suggest you don't attack," Corey advised, still standing perfectly serenely.

"But I still have sharingan; I can still see telegraphing," Itachi pointed out in a menacing tone. But then he saw Michelle.

'Relax. What happens here, stays here, I promise,' Michelle mouthed, so that the others wouldn't hear, but Itachi could read her lips, 'There's no Sasuke to look cool in front of; I suggest you take advantage of that. And no-one in Konoha would believe any witnesses of the infamous missing-nin in a child's game.'

Itachi looked from person to person thoughtfully, then bent down and scooped up a handful of snow. He molded it into a rough sphere, and examined it for a long, tense moment. Then a miracle happened:

"You're going to pay for that shot. Dearly," Itachi said in a low tone, then, with a miniscule half-smile, he lobbed the ball at Denise and ran towards the group, already bending down for more snow.

That brought the others back to life; chaos resumed, but now with teams. Kiba, Pauline, Michelle, and the five dogs faced off against Naruto, Shino, Hinata and Denise, while Corey and Itachi made their own alliance.

Naruto lasted for all of 30 seconds (which is really long in a snowball fight), before getting knocked down and buried by five well-coordinated dogs.

"N-naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, looking down at a white mound with Naruto's head coming out of one side.

"Hinata! Behind you!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at a point behind the girl and to her right.

Kyaaaaaaaa!

Hinata turned just long enough to see D'Artagnan seemingly flying towards her, and then she was down, doomed to the same fate as Naruto.

"I tried to warn you," Naruto apologized, as Hinata was quickly engulfed by snowflakes.

Denise and Itachi ended up facing off; Itachi had his sharingan, but Denise had managed to keep her bloodline limit. Itachi could see her moves before they happened, while Denise could read what Itachi was thinking, giving her precognition of what his next attack would be; it was a fairly even match, with Itachi holding back a little.

Kiba, Pauline and Michelle went to gang up on Corey, but Shino managed to pick off Michelle and maneuver her away from her group. While Kiba was scooping up snow, Corey had grabbed Pauline and managed to drop her onto the sled. Shino threw a snowball, but Michelle dropped down quickly, grabbed his ankle, and tried to flip him onto his back; it didn't work. Kiba was about to throw a snowball, but Corey grabbed his arm and dropped him onto Pauline. Michelle jumped up before Shino could kick snow towards her face, and threw a handful of snow at his face. Both Kiba and Pauline threw snowballs wildly at Corey at the same time; both missed. Shino's sunglasses where covered; he couldn't see and accidentally walked into Michelle as she pushed her hair out of her face, tripping them both. The momentum of Kiba and Pauline's throws caused the sled to start moving downhill. Shino felt, rather than saw that he and Michelle were now rolling and picking up speed; instinctively, both held the other, trying not to get hurt as they went down the irregular slope.

"Uh-oh..." Kiba said, seeing the scenery whiz by.

_There go my sunglasses,_ Shino thought, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt the shades fall off.

"Uh..." Pauline started, then clapped her hands over her mouth, wide-eyed.

"This could be a problem!" Michelle exclaimed, hugging Shino tighter.

"HELP!" all four voices screamed at pretty much the same time, as they hurtled down the incline.

"Crap, what'd I do?" Corey asked himself, putting his hands on his head.

Michiko? the four dog brothers barked, and started running down the hill, only to stop because the incline was steep (Athos and D'Artagnan), slow down because they were smart (Aramis), ortrip and tumble the rest of the way down (Porthos).

Kiba? Akamaru called, looking down the hill.

"What's going on? What's going on!" Naruto yelled, struggling to free himself from his snowy prison.

"They're going down the hill!" Denise exclaimed, throwing one more snowball at Itachi before he hurried to the edge of the hill, and got out of her range.

Corey and Denise dug Naruto and Hinata up, then joined Itachi in looking down and waiting for the falling people to stop; when they did, the five ran down, following the dogs. Pauline fell off the sled when halfway down the hill; she hadn't been sitting properly and had overbalanced. The two who were rolling were the first to come to a halt; the sled went about 15 feet further. Shino pushed away from Michiko when he was sure both of them were safe, and scrambled about 6 feet away before collapsing and shoving his head into a snowdrift.

_Augh! You bugs! Why are you awake again! _he thought, using the snow to calm down, ..._I came out on top...NO, don't think about it!_

_Your body is warm now; running around raised your blood, and now we are clear-headed again,_ the kikaichu answered, _Why has the nest been acting like _this_ so often? It didn't happen before._

_Shut up and just stop writhing!_ Shino thought vehemently, wishing the pain would stop immediately. But of course it didn't.

Kiba sort of froze when the sled stopped, then fell to one side, stunned; he had just slid backwards over 30 feet.

"Wow! What a ride!" Kiba gasped, "Let's go back up!"

D'Artagnan, Denise and Itachi stopped to stand by Pauline, who was lying on the hill, not moving, and Akamaru caught up and sniffed Kiba's nose.

"I'm ok, boy," Kiba said, giving his companion a pat.

Corey, and the other dogs stopped by Michiko, who sat up, dizzy and shaking snow out of her hair.

"You ok there?" Corey asked, looking down at the girl as Aramis sniffed her boots.

"Yeah, I'm good," Michelle answered, trying to get her eyes to focus again, "Is Shino ok?"

"I think so," Corey said, looking past Michelle, who turned around.

Hinata had found Shino's sunglasses in the snow, and was now giving them back to him. Shino took them with a quiet "thank you", all the while not looking up, and Naruto was asking the age-old question: "Why do you wear those dumb sunglasses?" Of course, Shino wasn't answering.

"Do you know what's up with him?" Corey asked.

Shino felt eyes on him, and turned and saw Corey and Michelle staring at him. Immediately, he looked down, then spoke to Hinata and Naruto in a voice too low for Michelle and Corey to hear.

"No..." Michelle answered, pat each of her dogs on the head and getting up, "Let's join Pauline and those people on the hill; something's up."

Kiba, once he had noticed that Pauline was no longer with him, had run back up the hill with Akamaru. Pauline still had not moved from where she fell.

"Hey, Pooriin, are you ok?" Kiba asked, coming to a sliding stop beside Pauline.

Pauline tried to get up, then stopped part way, winced, and sat back down again.

"No."

"What happened?" Michelle asked, catching up to them with Corey.

"She did something to her ankle, I think," Denise answered.

"It hurts..." Pauline said, massaging her ankle.

"You can't move it at all?" Michelle asked, concerned, as Hinata and Naruto joined the group, Naruto with the sled on his back.

"Nope," Pauline answered, after trying to rotate her foot.

"Can't you heal her?" Naruto asked, dropping the sled onto the snow and steadying it with a foot.

"She doesn't have chakra here, idiot," Denise said, annoyed, "None of us do."

"So, how come Shino still has his bugs, and I can still talk to Akamaru?" Kiba asked.

"...Maybe your bodies are the same, and you have enough chakra to function that way, but only just enough," Corey suggested, "You came into our world differently, so maybe you have different limitations than we do."

"Hello? My ankle?"

Everyone looked down and saw Pauline, waving her arms for attention.

"Michelle...what do I do?" she asked in her best 'little kid' voice.

The older cousin sighed; sometimes they were more like sisters; in the bad ways, as well as the good.

"We have to take you to my house," Michelle answered, suddenly tired, "It's the closest, we have a first aid kit, and my mom's a nurse, so she'll know how bad it is."

_Medical care runs in the familiy,_ Itachi thought, suddenly bored again.

"Uh...what happened to Shino?" Denise asked, looking around.

"Um...He was...He didn't want t-to, um..." Hinata stammered.

"Oh _I_ see," Kiba said, looking at where his best friend was, "He was too lazy to get up. Don't worry, he's ok."

"Ah," Denise nodded.

As Michelle and Denise took one of Pauline's hands each to help her up, Kiba gave Hinata a questioning look, glancing pointedly at Michelle. Hinata looked sad and shook her head, and Kiba rolled his eyes, annoyed. Corey and Denise saw the whole thing.

"Hey, Kiba, can you carry Pauline?" Michelle asked, supporting her cousin as she stood, "Just until we get to the bottom of the hill; we can push her on the sled when we're on the sidewalk."

"Ok, come on, Pauline," Kiba said, grunting as he lifting Pauline onto one shoulder.

"This is _so_ undignified..." Pauline grumbled, but with a smile.

"Hey, it's better than earlier, so I would complain if I were you," Kiba pointed out.

"It's nice to see Kiba being happy again," Michelle said to Denise and Corey, as they, Itachi, and Naruto followed Pauline and Kiba.

"I guess," Denise shrugged, watching as Hinata helped Shino get up from the snow.

_What are they hiding from Michelle?_ Denise thought.

* * *

AN: teacher! run! review


	10. Monday, Dec 19: Do you wanna fight?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, an evil alarm clock, a crowded TTC bus, the main hallway of my school (why would I?) or black hair with plantinum blonde streaks. I did, however, make up the three students that are not former ninjas, though they _are_ based loosely on real people. I'm not telling you who...

A/N: Back in the school's computer lab...I don't like constantly looking over my shoulder. It makes my neck hurt...

* * *

_**Beep!**_

_Ugh...no..._

_**Beep!**_

_Shut up..._

_**Beep!**_

_You can't _make_ me get up!_

_**Beep!**_

_NOOooo...!_

_**Beep!**_

_**Be-**_

Michelle finally slammed her hand onto the digital clock and shut the alarm off.

"I _hate_ waking up!" she moaned, rolling sideways and flopping awkwardly out of bed.

The 16-year-old landed hard, forehead-first, onto the cold wooden floor with a resounding clunk.

"...Monday..." she grumbled.

"Mitsy! Are you awake now?"

Michelle lifted her head up and faced her door to answer.

"Yes, mom!" _Why do you call me that name...?_

With a sigh, she untangled herself from her sheets (mainly by flopping around randomly on the floor) and got ready to face her day back at school.

You can tell she isn't a morning person...

Shaun waited for Michelle at the end of her driveway, and, at about quarter to eight, they were on the bus to school. That was when Shaun had a small problem: the bus was warm, and crowded; he had to stand close beside Michelle. Too close for comfort.

_Shit...how long does this bus take?_ Shaun thought, trying to ignore the bugs moving inside him, ..._Is there really only one escape from this madness?_

Michelle didn't notice his silence during the bus ride; she knew that he wasn't the talkative type. What bothered her was the way he ran off the bus without waiting for her, making a beeline towards the school.

_...Yeah, I feel good about myself,_ Michelle thought sarcastically, watching the tall boy run towards the back doors of the school, _...Whatever. It's not like I own him; he can do what he wants._

Meanwhile, in Shaun's head...

_Get inside, get away, let the bugs fall asleep again..._

As he thought this, Shaun was concentrating so hard on getting away from Michelle, that he didn't watch where he was going; he ran right into someone and caused both of them to fall to the ground.

"Whoa, watch where you're going!" the girl he'd bumped into snapped angrily.

"I...sorry, I didn't see you," Shaun stammered, kneeling to help the girl pick up the books that she'd dropped.

"Well, why don't you-" the girl started angrily, then she looked up, "Oh...oh, hello!" she said in a totally different tone.

Shaun glanced at her before turning back towards her books.

_Good grief...she's one of those..._

"I'm Mika. Mika Patricks," she said, suddenly with a highvoice and abig smile on her face, and held out her hand, "And you are...?"

"Shaun Anderson," he answered, placing the books in her hand instead of shaking it, and getting up.

"Nice to meet you, Shaun!" Mika cooed, rushing in front of him before he could get away and gave him a huge hug.

She was short, Shaun couldn't help but notice; she barely came up to the middle of his chest. But Shaun was tall.

"Um...yes..."

Shaun tried to push her off, but she had a good grip.

"Are you new?" she asked, still smiling.

"Yes..."

"Then I can show you around!" Mika said enthusiastically, linking her elbow with his and half dragging him down the main hall.

"No, I'm _fine_ on my own," Shaun insisted, trying to be polite.

_Get her off of me...NOW..._

"Oh come _on!_ It'll be fun!" Mika cooed, leaning against him just so, not quite flirting, but not as if she were discouraging it either.

"No, please, I'm all right," Shaun said, trying to pry his arm away from her.

"I insist!" Mika giggled, patting his hand as if he wasn't trying to escape, "It's no trouble!"

_Oh yes, it is,_ Shaun thought, _Please just let go!_

"Hey Mika, still desperately looking for a boyfriend?" a familiar voice asked.

Both linked people turned and saw Denise and Hinata walking towards them.

"Oh. You," Mika muttered, glaring at Denise.

"Let him go," Denise ordered, glaring back.

Mika hmphed, then did so, stomping away as dignified as a girl in high heels could.

"I'll see you around, Shaun," she called over her shoulder, with a cheery smile for him and a frown for Denise.

_I'd rather you didn't,_ Shaun thought, brushing off his sleeve.

"Our school's usually nice," Denise said apologetically, "Not everyone's like her."

Shaun merely shrugged it off.

"You're timing was good. How are you two?"

"Denise doesn't wake up too quickly," Hinata said slyly, looking to the side.

"Ugh, whatever," Denise said, waving it off, "Come on; I'll show you two where Corey, Michelle and I keep our lockers."

The three friends walked down one hallway, just missing a scene that was finishing outside.

What had happened outside?

Kyle and Nat had gotten up late, and ended up missing Denise and Hinata as they left. The five dogs accompanied both of them to the school; though the dogs weren't allowed _in _the school, the principal never said anything about the dogs hanging _around_ the school.

"Are you sure the dogs will be ok?" Nat asked.

Both boys were standing on the sidewalk in front of the school, observing. One guy and one girl were sitting on the front steps, blatantly breaking the school's 'no smoking' rule. But they were never caught anyway, so they didn't care.

"They'll be fine. They're used to waiting outside for us, remember?" Kyle pointed out.

"Yeah, but those two look mean," Nat said, pointing to the people on the steps.

"Hey. They're _ninken_ dogs. I think they'll be ok," Kyle said, rolling his eyes.

The two people on the steps thought that they were being challenged; one grade 11 had just pointed at them, and the other one rolled his eyes.

"Hey, what's the matter with you?" the girl called across, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Nothing; we're just passing by," Kyle shrugged.

"Oh yeah? Then just pass on by," the boy said, motioning with one hand towards the door.

Yuck...that kid has black hair and platinum blonde streaks... Porthos observed, and the other dogs nodded their agreement.

Nat didn't like that guy either.

"Could you just relax? You don't own the school!" Nat yelled, shaking a fist with a little nerve on it.

"Nat, calm down, it's our first day," Kyle advised in a low voice.

"Hey, you wanna fight, buddy?" the girl asked, standing up.

"Katie, cut it out," the boy said, getting up and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, that Denise girl says it to me all the time, and _she_ never means it," Katie said, shaking his hand off.

"Remember what she said?" the boy asked, "That's only because you're a girl."

"Yeah, whatever," Katie tsked, turning back to the boys.

"Then how come you never say it when you're alone with her?" the boy asked.

The girl merely shrugged and called out again.

"Hey, boys, you wanna fight? Huh? You wanna fight, boys? Hey, boys, you wanna fight?"

You'd think she'd at least paraphrase it, instead of repeat it so much, Aramis said cynically.

Don't get too hasty, guys, Akamaru advised, seeing a glint in Athos' eye, Kiba doesn't want to cause a scene. Just let it go, at least for today.

Kyle grabbed Nat's elbow and pulled him towards the door; the dogs followed behind, except D'Artagnan, who was curious as to how the boy's shoes smelled.

"Don't get fighting, Nat, that's the last thing we need," he said, thankful that the dogs weren't acting up.

"Hey, I think they're gay! Look, they're, like, holding hands!" the boy chuckled, pointing.

"And you talk like a girl! Who says 'like' in their sentence like that?" Nat yelled, when Kyle had stopped walking.

"Tomorrow, guys. Tomorrow," Kyle growled to both Nat and the dogs.

"You think you're so cool, huh?" Katie yelled, "Well, why don't you fight? Wanna fight, boys? C'mon, Nick, help me out!"

"I'm agirl, huh?" Nick asked, raising an eyebrow.

Without further speech, he lashed out and kicked D'Artagnan, who was still beside him. The dog yelped as he was sent about two metres away from his original place, after taking the kick right into his side. His brothers and Akamaru immediately ran to him, and surrounding him, growling at Nick.

"Ohmigosh, you kicked the puppy!" the blonde girl gasped.

Kyle released Nat and marched back to the three smokers; he didn't stop until he was right in Nick's personal space.

"Say you're sorry you did that," he said in a dangerously low voice, "...say it!"

"But I'm not," Nick said with a smirk, not knowing what he was getting himself into.

"Say it, or I'll make you sorry," Kyle growled.

"Oh, so you wanna fight _now_?" Katie asked in her annoying voice.

"Is that a threat?" Nick asked, still smirking.

"Very much so," Kyle answered, "Now apologize!"

"No."

Kyle felt his blood boiling, but he managed to keep it down for a little bit longer.

"...This is your last chance. Apologize."

"No."

Kyle's eyes darkened, and now Nick got the idea that maybe he should have said sorry. But too late.

"Athos, Porthos, hold onto Nat. Akamaru, Aramis, stay by D'Artagnan. This guy's mine," Kiba commanded.

Nick tsked, "I'm not impre-ugh!"

Kyle sent a quick punch to Nick's stomach, then took a step back and sent a kick into his gut. Nick fell to the ground, stunned.

_...He's really fighting,_ Katie thought, _...I...I'd better help..._

"S-so you _do_ wanna fight," Katie said, stepping forward with her fists up as Nick got up from the ground.

"Akamaru, hang onto her!" Kyle ordered, dodging a punch from Nick.

The white dog ran and knocked Katie down; he sat on her stomach so that she couldn't move.

"Arf!" Akamaru said. Translation: "Stay!"

"...Ew..." Katie muttered, wiping a bit of dog spittle from her face.

Kyle punched Nick straight into the gut, and kicked him in the same place, knocking him down again. Nick got up, and Kyle repeated. Punch, kick, wait...punch, kick, wait...five times. Finally, Nick wouldn't get up.

"That's what you did to _him_," Kyle growled, rolling Nick with a foot so that he faced D'Artagnan, who was now standing shakily, "Are you sorry now?"

"...yes."

"What did you say?"

"I'm...sorry."

Nick looked down at the sidewalk, and Kyle nodded.

"Good," Kyle stepped away from Nick and walked towards the school, "Let go of the girl, Akamaru. Come on, Nat."

Nat followed Kyle, but not before sticking his tongue out at the two smokers. Akamaru gathered the rest of the dogs, and all five ran to the back of the school's field where they wouldn't be bothered. Katie helped Nick up, and the boy immediately started coughing.

"No more yelling at Denise. She's serious too," Nick gasped when he could catch his breath, and Katie nodded, still in shock.

So don't kick dogs. It's not very nice. Not very nice at all.

When Kyle and Nat entered the school, they found Michelle waiting for them, just inside the doors. The slender girl had her hands on her hips, with a stern look on her face; Kyle and Nat stopped where they were and shifted uncomfortably.

"Why do you have your 'mom' look on?" Kyle asked, not meeting Michelle's eyes.

"I think you can guess, Kyle," Michelle answered, still looking stern.

There was an awkward silence, and then Nat spoke up.

"It's not like _I'm_ in trouble! I didn't do anything!" Nat exclaimed, putting his hands up.

"Exactly," Michelle nodded, closing her eyes and crossing her arms, "You were watching. You could've done something."

The boys glanced at each other, then sighed.

"Look, about that thing outside...I should've-" Kyle started.

"Hit the girl? Totally!" Michelle exclaimed, opening her eyes and narrowing them, "What were you doing, only attacking Nick?"

"I...what?" Kyle blinked and Nat sweatdropped.

"You _know_ those two?" Nat asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Katie's been harrassing Denise for months."

"'Harrassing' Denise?" Kyle frowned, "Does she have a death wish?"

"No," Michelle shook her head, "She was making fun of one of Denise and my friends, so Denise was all, 'Leave her alone', and the Katie was all, 'What's it to you?' and then starts swearing at Denise, so Denise got mad and said, 'You wanna fight?' Katie thought Denise was joking, so every time she sees her now, she says, 'Hey, Denise, you wanna fight?', and it's really annoying. I try to keep Denise from doing anything, but the fact that Katie isn't taking Denise seriously isn't helping."

"Oh..." Nat nodded thoughtfully, "Well, I don't think she'll try anything now."

"Maybe," Michelle nodded.

Michelle turned and walked about three steps before looking back.

"Hey, you guys coming, or what?" she asked, with a friendly smile; she was out of her 'mother mode'.

Kyle let out a breath of relief, and Nat cracked a grin before both hurried to walk beside her.

That's some start for their first day at school...I think I'll skip the actual lessons part...So let's just go straight to after the last bell!

"I still don't get it!"

Michelle let her head fall onto the table with a loud thud, and faked crying. Hinata put a hand on her shoulder and Nat yelled out loud.

"Dammit!" Nat turned around from his place on the floor, "Michelle, I was winning!"

"...sorry..." Michelle looked up apolegetically and Naruto turned back to the TV screen.

All eight of them were in Kyle and Nat's apartment; as soon as school had ended, they had all become one large group and migrated to the small living space that both boys' parents were sponsoring. Michelle and Hinata were studying grade 11 Physics at the table, and Isaac was sitting on the couch being bored, with Denise sitting crosslegged on the floor between his legs (A/N: Isaac's being protective, darn you, not..._that_ way!). Denise, Nat and Kyle were playing Super Smash Bros. Melee on Nat's Gamecube, Corey was watching from the opposite end of the couch, and Shaun was watching while leaning on the wall beside the window. The dogs were lying all around the room; Porthos was between Corey and Isaac on the couch, Athos had his chin supported on one of Denise's knees, Akamaru was beside Kyle watching the screen, Aramis was in Michelle's lap, and D'Artagnan was sitting on the floor by Shaun, trying to look as cool as the 16-year-old was. Hinata sighed and tried to explain the concept to Michelle again.

"Look here," she said, pointing to an equation on the paper, "If power is equal to voltage times current, and voltage is equall to current times resistance, then power is also equal to current squared multiplied by resistance."

"But why? I don't see it," Michelle said, staring at the letters on the page, trying to understand.

_I'm glad _I'm_ not taking that course,_ Naruto thought.

_Shino, why aren't you helping?_ Hinata thought tiredly, _You're _much_ better at this subject and teaching than I am..._

_I can't concentrate... _Michelle thought, _I saw Shino during Biology and he didn't say 'hi', during lunch he ignored me, and now...don't read into it too much! Maybe it's not me._

_It's not you,_ Denise said into her head, _Relax and focus on school._

_Says the girl with the bad boy boyfriend while she plays Gamecube. What're you doing in my thoughts, anyway?_ Michelle thought dryly, and Denise withdrew from her thoughts.

_I won't tell you about his bugs, then,_ Denise thought to herself, _You'll figure it out yourself._

"Understand..." Michelle whispered to herself, staring at the formulas again, "P equalsIV, V equalsIR...How does it become P equalsI²R?"

"It's substitution," Itachi suddenly said.

The whole room looked at the 17-year-old, startled. Itachi was sitting back in the couch, with his head tilted back and his eyes closed; the room had thought him asleep. Itachi opened his dark eyes and looked straight at Michelle, slightly annoyed.

"Substitute 'Voltage Current x Resistance' into 'Power Current x Voltage' like in math class," Itachi instructed, "Don't think of the letters as values; think of them just as variables."

Michelle looked at the page again and obeyed; suddenly the whole concept was clear as she wrote the whole thing out as a math equation.

_P equals IV (equation 1)_

_V equals IR (equation 2)_

_Substitute (2) into (1):_

_P equals I x (I x R)_

_P equals I² x R ...I see..._

"Hah! Mewtwo owns you!" Naruto yelled into Kiba's face.

"...crap..." Kiba grumbled, as his character, Marth, was killed by the giant sphere of evil that Mewtwo had just thrown, "Deniizu, can Zelda beat that Pokémon right there? See, that one? That ugly purple thing right there?" Kiba asked, tapping the screen, "Ugh, it's based on a cat, too."

The five dogs yipped their agreement as Naruto rolled his eyes and Denise shrugged.

"I wish _I_ had a cool jutsu like that," Naruto murmured, and Denise and Michelle shared knowing glances.

Michelle turned back to her page, then sighed and put her head down on her arms.

"...Michi-chan?" Hinata asked, her hand on Michelle's shoulder again, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing...Thanks, Itachi."

The former missing-nin merely shrugged and closed his eyes again. Hinata glanced at Shino, who seemed to be watching the TV screen, and then scribbled something down onto her own paper. Michelle looked up when Hinata got her attention and read the note.

'Please talk to me. What's wrong?' -Hinata

Michelle sighed and shook her head.

'Please? I want to help.' -Hinata.

'...guess.' -Michelle

'Shino?' -Hinata

'Well done,' -Michelle

'He's not ignoring you, I promise.' -Hinata.

Michelle stared at the paper, then winced and started putting her books away.

"I can't concentrate," she said, rezipping her backpack, "That whole substitution thing was basic; I should have seen it right away. Hey, Naruto, do you have an extra controller?"

Hinata wrote down one more message and forced it into Michelle's hand as she reached for the controller Naruto was handing to her.

'Talk to him. He'll explain everything.' -Hinata

Michelle looked up from the note to Shino. He was looking out the window; she might as well not exist. Again, she sighed, then took a place on the floor and waited for the next Stamina round to start.

Corey looked from Michelle to Shino; he could tell what was going on. After a moment of thought, he stared at the back of Denise's head. The 14-year-old felt his eyes on her and turned; when they met eye contact, she used her bloodline limit.

_What?_ thought Denise.

_What's up with Shino?_ Corey asked, looking pointedly at the screen.

_Not my secret,_ Denise answered, making a pretense of trying to choose what character to play with.

_...should I talk to him? _Corey asked.

_Don't. Talk to Michelle; she'll appreciate that more. But later._

_I know..._

Kiba chose Marth again and looked at Michelle. The girl, who was like a sister to him, shrugged with a reassuring smile. Kiba continued to watch her, and Michelle gave him a slightly annoyed look. Kiba merely rolled his eyes and turned back to the screen.

"...Pichu? You're fighting with _Pichu_?" Kiba asked.

"Don't diss the little mouse," Michelle warned, leaning forward.

"Mewtwo is going to own you too!" Naruto bragged, as Denise stayed silent, choosing Zelda again.

"You wish," Michelle bared her teeth, grinning when Naruto chose the Pokémon stadium for the arena.

_She's like Kiba when she fights,_ Hinata thought, putting her backpack onto the table, _Is she _sure_ they're not related?_

Stamina mode began, and Naruto decided to pick off the little one first.

"Take this, bitch!" Naruto yelled, jumping onto the platform the Pichu was on and powering up that killing sphere again.

And promptly got owned.

"You want a ranged fight," Michelle asked airily, hurrying underneath the platform Mewtwo was on and calling down thunder, electrocuting Mewtwo, "Or would you prefer melee?" she asked, jumping back onto the platform, charging up for a second, then headbutting the Mewtwo off of the stage.

"I think I'll stay out of _that_ fight," Denise said out loud, focusing on Marth now.

"The hell!" Naruto exclaimed, double-jumping the Mewtwo so that it just barely landed on the platform's edge.

However, the Pichu was waiting for it and headbutted the Mewtwo yet again. When the taller Pokémon landed back onto the platform, the Pichu had charged up electricity long enough to shock the Mewtwo and send it offstage again, this time too far to jump back.

"Nooo!" Naruto yelled, as the screen went into slow motion, and he was forced to watch the little yellow Pokémon do a slow-mo taunt, "It thinks it's so cute..." he growled, shaking a fist at the screen as Michelle laughed.

"Nice," Denise said, as Kiba high-fived Michelle.

Michelle merely shrugged and waited for the winner of the other match to come forward. But after glancing at Shino by the window, she sighed; he still wasn't looking at her. After losing her match against Kiba, she slipped quietly out of the apartment and went home alone.

* * *

A/N: How come I didn't use this computer last week? It types so nicely! The other one made my typing look soethig lke tis...Which was annoying. I think I broke the 'Backspace' key from pressing on it too much.

Teacher: (from behind) Is everything ok here? Everyone researching properly?

A/N: (switches windows) Yes, sir...(sweatdrop)


	11. Tuesday, Dec 20: Visit to Chinatown

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated...why do I have to keep writing these things? Mendokuse...I'm so lazy...Just assume I own nothing here that you recognize from outside of my stories.

A/N: Thanks, guys, for bearing with me! I get a little bit of time to type in the morning now...

* * *

Tuesday seemed to slog on and on for the nine friends; even Pauline, who wasn't in a public school, still had chores and her own homework to do. 

_I'm so bored...Concentrate! Christmas break is next week, so be happy!_, thought Michelle, sitting in Chemistry and trying to concentrate on stoichiometry (A/N: if you don't understand the term, tough. I'm not explaining.).

_This is relevant to my life, how? _Kyle thought, during math.

_Must take notes, must take proper notes, must get scholarship, can't afford tuition,_ Hinata thought, frantically trying to write down everything her math teacher said, verbatim.

_AUGH!_ Naruto thought, holding his head in his hands, _Why do I need to know about parabolas?_

_No, I can't go into that hallway; Mika's locker is there,_ Shaun thought during Travel and Tourism, outlining in his head the safest way to his next class without running into the girl, who was still after him.

_I hate French!_ Denise thought, sitting in said class, _...ok, I don't hate it. I just...really don't like it. A lot._

_Stupid car, not working..._ Itachi thought, in automotive technology, _Why won't this useless thing start?_

"Since when do we have so many dishes?" Pauline groaned, washing a mug in her kitchen as her pet Jack Russell terrier watched.

"BWAHAHAHA, I HAVE A SPARE!" Corey yelled, pointing up at the sky as he reclined on a picnic table outside.

_My 'life's not fair' senses are tingling, _Phil thought, sitting beside Michelle in Chemistry, _And my 'no-one remembers that I'm the guy from the first fanfic that's a lot like Corey, only taller, with slightly lighter and straighter brown hair, and my eyes aren't green; they're blue' senses are tingling too. ...that's a weird sense to have..._

That IS a weird sense to have...who would want that sense? Honestly...

Michelle, Kyle, and the five dogs breathed deep.

"Do you smell those dessert buns baking?" Michelle whispered, eyes closed.

"Do you smell that rotisserie chicken?" Kyle asked, eyes also closed.

"Mm..." both murmured, along with the dogs.

Hinata, Shaun, Pauline and Nat all stared at the two friends. Pauline was especially impatient; she had to use crutches, since her ankle had been sprained (not badly, but her mom was concerned), meaning that she had to stand on one foot while her friends sniffed the air.

"Are you done yet?" Nat asked, annoyed.

"Can we go now?" Pauline added, glancing at Michelle's watch.

"Picky, picky," Michelle grinned, and breathed deep again.

"M-Michelle, if you stand like this...um...well, your groceries won't get done," Hinata said quietly, not wanting to seem intrusive.

"I hear you," Michelle nodded, opened her eyes and poked Kyle in the ribs, "Come on; I didn't spend a bus ticket for nothing. Let's get the stuff my mom wanted."

"This Chinatown place smells great, though," Kyle said, opening his eyes.

"Can we just go?" Pauline asked, getting antsy.

The 15-year-old led the group (at a very slow pace with her crutches) down the street with Nat and Kyle on either side. Hinata walked beside Michelle, and Shaun trailed in the back, as usual. (A/N: It's true! Shino's always in the back! Like during the funeral; Shino's the last genin to leave!)

The group of nine had gone to Chinatown to do some shopping for Michelle's mother; Denise, Corey and Isaac were browsing weapon shops while the other six hunted down items on Michelle's list.

"What's the first thing you need?" Hinata asked.

"...fruit," Michelle answered, referring to her list, and called out to Pauline, "Hey, cuz! Take us where we can buy fruit!"

"Gotcha! The Sino Mall it is!" Pauline called over her shoulder.

Ah...the dear Sino Mall...

Upon arriving at the large mall, Pauline led them down a few hallways, and they found themselves in front of a grocery store.

"Wow..." Michelle blinked, "It looks bigger than before."

"They renovated; there's a bigger place for fish and vegetables," Pauline explained, pointing to the far wall as they entered the food outlet.

"Dogs can't come in here! Sorry!" Naruto said, not really meaning it as he made a face at the dogs.

"I'll stay out here with them," Kyle volunteered, stepping back outside of the store.

"Ok...I'll stay out here too," Pauline said, joining Kyle outside.

"They're so cute," Michelle whispered to Hinata, and both girls giggled.

"Girls..." Nat mumbled, crossing his arms as he and Shaun followed them through the store.

"What fruit do you need?" Hinata asked, looking over Michelle's shoulder.

"Several. Royal gala apples, finger bananas, red grapes, a pineapple, strawberries and..." Michelle squinted at the paper, "I think it says 'cherries', but it might say 'berries'."

"May I?" Hinata held her hand out.

Michelle handed the paper to Hinata, who looked carefully at the list.

"You're right; it's cherries," Hinata nodded.

"I'll get the cherries and strawberries for you," Nat volunteered.

"Thanks, that would help," Michelle grinned.

"I'll look for the pineapple," Hinata said.

"I'll find grapes," Shaun added.

"Then I'll find the apples and bananas," Michelle nodded, then got an idea, "Hey, how about we race? We'll meet back here at the 6th checkout counter."

"Ok!" Nat agreed enthusiastically, and Hinata and Shaun nodded.

"All right then, let's go!" Michelle said, thinking, _Yay, Shino said something to me!_

Each genin ran in different directions, eager to be the first to the counter. Then Michelle realized that the direction _she_ was going was towards the doors. _Darnit!_ she thought, looking through the door windows where Kyle and Pauline were staring at her strangely. Smiling and waving to them, she looked around to make sure the others hadn't seen her mistake, then ran towards where she hoped the apples were.

Over with the other group...

Corey, Denise and Isaac were now done browsing through weapon shops; Denise wanted just about everything in each shop, as did Isaac, but both Isaac and Corey were picky about which katana or dagger they actually purchased.

"That took so long," Denise complained, unsheathing her black-hilted, curved dagger and examining it as they walked down the street.

"At least you can use that dagger; some of the things you wanted to buy were useless," Corey said, walking with his hands in his coat pockets.

"..." Isaac merely walked with his new katana on his back, ready to use it in case enemies jumped out of an alleyway.

"Why didn't _you_ buy anything?" Denise asked, testing her blade's edge with a finger, "Oops, I nicked myself."

"All that stuff is crap compared to the weapons in Konoha," Corey shrugged, "The store I work in has weapons a shitload better than that crappy little..._thing_ over there," he said, waving his hand vaguely.

"Oh. Whatever," Denise said, making a dismissing gesture with the dagger as she tried to stop her finger bleeding.

Don't play with sharp things. It's not safe. ...half the stuff in my story I advise you against doing...o.O

"Hahaha!" Nat yelled triumphantly, landing with a bound onto the clear bit of flooring that is always in front of the check-out counters, "I'm the first!"

"No, you're not," Michelle said running up through the aisle he just exited.

The girl passed him at a run and Nat was confused.

"But I got to the aisles first with the food," Nat said, watching as the girl ran on.

"To aisle 6?" she called over her shoulder, already in line.

"...crap," Nat sweatdropped, and walked sulkily over to the line and stood behind...a blur.

"Dammit!" Nat exclaimed, as Shaun and Hinata (in that order) got to the line just before he did, "That can't be fair!"

"It's a race, Nat," Michelle said, looking back and giving him a rueful smile, "Tough luck."

"Damn!" Nat yelled, and ended up getting shushed by his friends.

Outside...

"Do you hear that?" Kyle asked, hearing a blue streak of swearing coming from inside the store.

"I wish I could _un-_hear it," Pauline answered, covering D'Artagnan's ears, and after a moment flinched, "Wow...I didn't hear that one before..."

Further outside...

"Whoa, did you hear that?" Denise asked, hearing a very loud string of swear words coming from the Sino Mall.

"Yeah. Wow...I haven't heard _that_ one in a long time," Corey said, and immediately all three walked towards the source of angry noise.

The three found the other part of their group walking through the mall towards them, away from the grocery store they had just been in.

"Nat, there were little kids in that store," Michelle scolded, carrying two plastic bags, "Their parents must be so upset now!"

"What do you mean?" Nat asked, and everyone else except Hinata groaned.

"Oh my gosh," Pauline sighed, rolling her eyes.

"She means that those little kids heard at least a dozen different swear words, which their parents probably didn't want, idiot," Kyle explained, annoyed.

"Scarring kids for life is ok," Corey said, when his group reached theirs; Michelle decided to just give the boy a look instead of argue.

"How was your day?" Michelle asked Denise.

"It was ok," Denise answered, holding up her dagger.

"Nice dagger!" Nat said, and reached out a hand, "Can I see it?"

"No," Denise answered quickly, slipping the weapon into her pocket.

"Bitch..." Nat mumbled.

"What did you say?" Denise asked, giving him a scary look. A very scary look; even for Denise. Especially with Corey and Isaac backing her up.

"N-nothing!" Nat said, hiding behind Michelle.

"I just have to buy a DVD my mom wants, and then I'm done," Michelle said, as if nothing had happened.

"What's it about?" Denise asked curiously, as the whole group began walking through the mall.

"It's a series called, 'It Started With a Kiss'," Pauline answered for her enthusiastically, "They were playing it in Taiwan; now the series is over, so the DVD with English subtitles was made and sent here!"

"The series is over? It sounds short, if it's only on one DVD," Denise said.

"Oh, it's more like a miniseries with about 18 episodes," Pauline explained.

"And my mom wants to see it because one of my aunts heard about it," Michelle added, "It's a Chinese miniseries; 'Chinese' indicates some cheesiness/melodrama which my mom loves, and 'miniseries' shows that it was thought out, which almost guarantees that it's good."

"What's it about?" Hinata asked, curiously.

Kyle rolled his eyes and Nat made an annoyed sound.

"I'm walking ahead," Kyle said, and the rest of the boys followed.

"Just ignore them," Michelle advised.

"Yeah, well, the story is about this girl who falls in love with a boy in her school, but since he's so smart and handsome, he's also arrogant..." Pauline began to explain.

(singing) Say that you luuv me, say that you care...(stops singing) Hey, I like that show. And a sequel's coming out in 2007!

Now the group was back on the bus, or at least part of it; Pauline had walked home from Chinatown. From the subway, the group had parted again; Shaun and Michelle took a different bus than the others did, while Corey was going to a job interview. Nat, Kyle and Hinata were going straight home, while Denise and Isaac were wandering around the city.

"Where do _you_ want to go?" Denise asked, as she and Isaac walked down the street.

Isaac looked around; from one point of view, the flourescent lights and fast cars were strange. From another point of view, all these things were well known to him; even the ex-nukenin was set off-balance with his parallel memories. Thinking for a moment, he remembered something.

"Follow me," Isaac said, taking Denise's hand and jaywalking across the street, "I have something to show you."

What is it? What is it? ...not telling...

_I will not be awkward. I will not be awkward. I will not be awkward._

Hinata played with her fingers as she sat on the bus seat, with Kyle at her left, and a window at her right. Nat was sitting on Kyle's opposite side, with his hands behind his head; Kyle was trying to keep the dogs settled for just 10 more minutes. Hinata looked to the side in the corner of her eye for a split second before looking forward again. Silence reigned throughout the bus; they were the only passengers.

_I'm being awkward. I'm being awkward. I'm being awkward._

Hinata clenched her hands, and D'Artagnan put his head on her lap sympathetically. The gesture gave her courage, and she opened her mouth to break the silence with a scintillating conversation; she would astound her Naruto and get him to want to talk to her more! ...but then she looked at Nat and her words were gone. Hinata slouched against the back of her seat and played with her fingers again. Nat was still clueless, and Kyle, who knew his teammate well, shook his head. It was going to be a long 10 minutes home.

One day, Naruto will notice Hinata. As in, _really_ notice her.

Shaun and Michelle were standing on their bus; it wasn't crowded, but all the seats were filled. Shaun stood holding a pole while Michelle was to his left, not holding onto anything. Neither were speaking; Michelle was trying not to fall over, while Shaun was trying not to look at her.

_Why is Shino like this? Can't he at least look at me?_ Michelle thought.

_Why are my bugs like this? Can't I have a break, just for a day?_ Shaun thought.

_Was it something I did?_ Michelle thought, glancing sideways at the boy, _...nothing. Do I really mean anything to you, Shino-kun?_

Thinking back, Michelle realised that though Shino had been a friend for the first few weeks after she and Denise had arrived in Konoha, from at least a week prior to the exam, the bug-user had been very distant.

_I thought he was just going through a mood or something,_ Michelle thought.

* * *

_Shino and Sasuke met Michiko and Deniizu as usual after lunch; the girls had learned very well. Now, with the final test just a few days away, all the four really did was train the skills they already knew._

_"Today is ranged attacks," Sasuke said, bored._

_Sasuke and Deniizu moved to their side of the field, both already in their fighting stances._

_"They really hate each other," Michiko said sadly, as Shino took kunai and shuriken out._

_Shino didn't speak, but Michiko had expected that; Shino-kun was very different than Shino-sensei._

_"But at least acting this way makes losing seem worse and helps them train hard," Michiko added, getting into her own fighting stance._

_"It's coming," Shino said expressionlessly, whipping a kunai forward._

_Michiko was startled, but managed to catch it and throw it back before the throwing knife hit her arm._

That's strange,_ Michiko thought, _He usually waits for a second...but...maybe he just wants me perfectly ready for the final test.

* * *

_And when we studied...when even _Kiba_ studied...Shino didn't help at all...

* * *

_

_"Um...Sarutobi?" Michiko asked, scratching her head._

_Deniizu and Kiba laughed as Michiko grinned sheepishly. Study time in the two girls' apartment wasn't exactly effective._

_"I highly doubt that 'Sarutobi' is the style of fighting that most Mist ninjas use," Hinata sighed, but with a smile._

_"You _know _I don't remember these terms," Michiko said ruefully._

_"It may be on the exam," Hinata protested._

_"What's the answer, then?" Michiko asked, putting on a mock-challenging face._

_Hinata opened her mouth to answer, then closed it and looked down to the side. Michiko grinned and Kiba and Deniizu laughed again._

_"What's the answer, Shino? You should know," Kiba said, calling to the boy that was standing on the balcony._

_Shino didn't turn around, so after a moment, the others shared looks then turned to their notes._

_"Hey, give me that," Michiko growled at Aramis._

_The grey dog had his teeth in one of Michiko's information scrolls; he wanted to play tug-o-war._

_"Sorry, boy; not now," Michiko said, prying it out of his grasp, "I have to study. Go to sleep like your brothers."_

_"Hey, Kiba, what's up with Shino?" Deniizu whispered to the dog-user, as Michiko wiped drool off of the scroll._

_"I...um..." Kiba glanced at Shino, then Michiko, and finally shook his head, "Sorry."_

_"Why did he come then?" Deniizu asked, as Hinata and Michiko looked at the scroll._

_"Sorry, I can't...sorry," Kiba said again, and that was the end of it._

_Michiko caught Deniizu's eye; she had heard the whole conversation. Deniizu merely narrowed her eyes; what was Michiko doing eavesdropping anyway. Michiko decided to brush the matter off; maybe Shino thought it would be best if they found the answers for themselves. Or maybe he didn't know.

* * *

_

_Or maybe he just doesn't...like...me...

* * *

_

_Michiko had been late coming home that day; it was the day before the final test. Since she didn't have work right after tutoring, she had stayed with Sakura to read over a few more notes. As she came into their apartment, she saw Shino, Kiba, the dogs, Hinata, and Deniizu all on the floor, discussing their notes; all had looked up in surprise._

_"Wow, we didn't hear you," Deniizu said._

_"Our sense of chi must be off," Kiba suggested, as Michiko joined their circle between Shino and Deniizu._

_They all studied this time; even Shino added some input. But little by little, he edged out of the group, eventually standing up and going to the balcony again. When night had fallen, he had been the first to leave.

* * *

_

_It _is_ me...Shino's been acting weird because of me. Why?_

Michelle thought for a moment, then shook her head determinedly.

_...you know what?_

Michelle and Shaun stepped off the bus at their stop, neither looking at the other. This time Michelle refused to care. This time, Michelle walked ahead, as if Shaun no longer existed.

_I don't need to know why. If he doesn't want me, that's just fine. I don't need him._

Shaun didn't notice as Michelle speedwalked ahead; his thoughts were elsewhere.

_There has to be another way to end this, _he thought, oblivious to the fact it was already over.

* * *

A/N: This is the part where I go, "DARNIT, SHINO, WITH YOU'RE SHINO-ATTITUDE!" ...I'll try to post more often, I promise. Oh, is anyone having problems signing in sometimes? Because some mornings, I try to sign in, and it doesn't work... :S 


	12. Wednesday, Dec 21: Some fun at school

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, the awesome name of 'Dragan' (is that not a cool name? Is it not!), late start days (how I love them...), I think I'll randomly mention Pocky here, the acronym PMS, Corey's crazy powers of deduction, the word 'meep' (though I wish I did), or a trenchcoat. Mainly because it is not flattering for me...

* * *

Shaun waited at the end of Michelle driveway that Wednesday morning; it was snowing. 

_At least the bugs are asleep...where is she? She's usally quite punctual,_ Shino thought.

He glanced at his watch; Michelle was 15 minutes behind schedual. He heard the door slam, and looked up expectantly, only to find that it was Michelle's brother Dragan who was coming out, not her.

Dragan was nothing like Michelle, except for colouring, build, and their loyalty. The grade 7 was active in sports, was not good at math, resembled his mother (while Michelle looked like her father), and his hair always looked as if it had been attacked by something. Which it was; their father was an aspiring barber, though only with his son's hair, much to Dragan's dismay.

"What are you doing?" Dragan asked, adjusting his backpack as he walked down the driveway.

"Where's Michelle?" Shaun said, ignoring Dragan's rude tone.

"Inside; she said that school starts late every Wednesday," Dragan answered, walking by Shaun, "Stupid."

"Thanks," Shaun said, annoyed.

"Your welcome," Dragan returned, throwing a smile and a wave over his shoulder as he headed for school.

_Either that kid is really rude, or he has a very unusual sense of humour,_ Shaun thought, looking towards the house, _Hm...should I knock? ...it would probably be best if I just came back in an hour._

I think the name 'Dragan' is cool...

An hour later, and it was still snowing, though lightly. Shaun got out to go Michelle's house and wait for her again. As he turned around the corner, he saw her just stepping onto the sidewalk; she looked very tired. Michelle glanced up and down the street, before crossing and walking quickly.

_Wha...she saw me,_ Shaun thought, hurrying to catch up to her.

As soon as Shaun reached the edge of the street, cars were going by; he couldn't cross. Shaun looked and saw Michelle disappear around another street corner; he guessed she was walking to school that day.

_Why did...she saw me._

Shaun felt something in him twist uncomfortably.

_She looked right through me._

That's how the cookie crumbles... :(

_**Briiiing!**_

Mere seconds after the bell, students flooded the halls; it was lunch time. Michelle stumbled bleary-eyed to her locker; Biology and lack of sleep had left her a wreck. Hinata, Nat, Shaun and Kyle followed her out of class at a safe distance. Once they reached the lockers, they found Corey already there.

"What's up with her?" Corey asked the ex-ninjas, nodding towards Michelle.

"I don't know, but you'd best not talk to her," Kyle said, "I wanted a sheet of paper and she gave me such a glare..."

"Yeah, and I stole her pencil case since it usually perks her up," Nat said, "But she snatched it back and growled at me! Not like talking growling; just the sound! Is she PMS-ing or something?"

"Shut up, idiot!" Kyle growled (talking growling), hitting Nat upside.

"She's tired," Hinata said quietly, looked concerned at her friend.

Corey looked at Michelle as the rest of them went to their own lockers.

_She didn't get any sleep last night,_ Corey observed, _And...she might have been crying. Or she was sick...but she looks more depressed than ill, _Corey looked at Shaun, _Something's telling me it's you._

Michelle closed her locker slowly, then scrubbed her face with her hands.

"Hey...guys..." she said timidly, looking at the floor as all of the group turned to her, "I'm sorry about earlier; I'm really out of it today."

"It's no problem! It didn't bother me!" Nat said loudly, with a huge grin on his face.

The others saw Michelle rub one of her temples as Nat was speaking, and Kyle shushed him with a kick in the shin.

"It's ok," Kyle said, closing his own locker, "But what's up?"

"I'm...fine," Michelle shook her head, "Denise's parents called me last night; she didn't go home. Has anyone seen her today?"

"No," Hinata said sadly, as the others shook their heads.

"She hasn't showed up at all," Corey said, and Michelle nodded reluctantly.

"Ok...guys, just stay out of my way for today...I might snap again."

As Shaun watched Michelle walk down the hallway, under the pretense of zipping his backpack, Kyle, Hinata and Corey shared looks. Corey looked from them, to Shaun, then back to them again. Hinata played with her fingers and Kyle nodded silently. Corey rolled his eyes and got his own lunch out; he'd discuss this with them later.

School ending is supposed to be a good thing. Unless you're Shaun Anderson.

"Oh, Shaun!" a shrill voice rang out.

_Crap!_

Shaun looked around in the crowded halls, trying to discern where Mika's voice had come from.

_In front..._

Shaun saw a group of preppy people, but not one of them was Mika.

_Behind..._

Shaun saw a group of Eminem wannabes, but Mika wasn't an Eminem wannabe, so she wasn't there either.

_Left..._

Shaun saw a group of Gothic kids, but no Mika.

_Right..._

Shaun saw the school's hall monitor helping a kid in a wheelchair, but still no Mika.

_Up,_ Shino looked up, then kicked himself inwardly, _This world doesn't have chakra._

"What're you doing, Shaun?" Mika's voice asked, right in front of him.

Shaun took a desparate step back, but the girl still managed to get her arms around him in a hug.

_She was below._

"I missed you all day, Shaun!" Mika said, half whining, half teasingly; entirely scary to Shaun.

"I have to...go...right now. ...as in _leave_," Shaun struggled with trying to get Mika off of him.

_All these people walking by, and not one helping..._

"Oh, come on, Shaun, talk to me!" Mika said enthusiastically.

"Mika, get off of him," a boy's voice said.

Shaun and Mika turned to see a tall boy with brown, messy, shoulder-length hair, and blue eyes wearing black combat boots, black jeans, and a long black trenchcoat.

"Meep!" Mike yelped and she ran off, disappearing into the crowd.

Both boys watch her vanish, and then looked at one another.

"Uh...thanks," Shaun said, a little embarrassed.

"No problem," the boy said airily, with a thumbs-up, then paused for a second, staring at Shaun, "Hey, I know you!" the boy pointed at Shaun suddenly, "You're that guy Michelle and Corey pointed at yesterday!"

"...?" Shaun raised an eyebrow.

"Hi, I'm Phil," he said, putting out his hand for Shaun to shake, which he did...warily, "You were reading some book yesterday in the caf during lunch; Michelle, Denise and Corey were introducing me to everyone."

"Oh. Hi. I'm Shaun," he said, replacing his hands in his pockets.

"I'd wait for the crowd to pass by before leaving school if I were you," Phil advised, "Mika's easier to avoid if the halls are empty; she has no crowd to hide in, then."

"Oh...thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Both trenchcoated boys walked through the hallway together, headed for the doors.

"How do you know about Mika?" Shaun asked.

"She's always after one guy or another; I've gotten used to helping out."

"...Why'd she run from you like that?"

"She's scared of me," Phil shrugged.

Shaun glanced at the boy beside him, and understood; Phil was probably three times Mika's height. Give or take a few inches.

"Well...thanks again," Shaun said, as he and Phil parted ways at the doors.

Phil waved casually at Shaun, then began walking away. After about 10 steps, he turned back; looking carefully, he saw Shaun already near his bus stop.

_Mission accomplished,_ Phil thought, continuing towards his own bus stop, _Corey, you owe me one for distracting the new kid.

* * *

_

A/N: Meep! ...Ok, now you can review!


	13. Dec 22 to 23: Almost Winter Break!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, running from the police, a motorcycle, a good sense of smell, a healed ankle, the "Guess What? Chicken butt!" game, any joy for shopping, the term 'something fishy', aerosol OFF bug spray, Pocky-flavoured ice cream, or Baskin Robbins.

(A/N: That Thursday, the day pretty much just royally sucked. So much so, that I've been getting threats from all of the characters along the lines that if I go into detailed descriptions of it, Itachi will kill me, Corey will kill me, Denise will kill me, Akamaru will kill me...so I'll just run through this really quick. Otherwise there's a big plot hole, and I, as the author, do not want a big plot whole in the middle of-

"Shut the hell up and get it over with!" Denise pouts.

...ok then.

As advised by Corey (Last name: **S**mith), I must do this in alphabetical order. (A/N: You know you've gone over the edge if your characters are bossing you around.

"Just finish," Itachi glares, holding a kunai at my throat.)

Alrighty then...so that Thursday:

Akamaru: Lost a fight against a cat. In his defence, it was a big cat.

The other four dogs: Had to get shots at the vet.

Isaac (no last name): Had to run from the police for about seven hours. Sucker. (sees death glare) I mean...poor guy.

Shaun Anderson: Even with Michelle avoiding him, which he still didn't understand, the bugs still reacted about four times; he didn't need to be around her anymore for the pain to start. Not to mention that he ran into Mika twice. Sucker. (sees kikaichu on arm...I have no chakra, so I'm safe...and now the bug's chewing on me.) I mean, I feel bad for him. (kikaichu flies away)

Kyle Douglas: Pauline was talking about Shinya all ofthat day, Akamaru didn't feel like playing anything, and none of the four mutts would talk to him after those shots.

Phil Jones: Couldn't find his left combat boot and had to wear normal sneakers.

Nat Makizu: Tripped and fell during gym; it felt like Konoha again when they laughed.

Pauline Mariano: Lost 20 of her favourite pictures of Shinya to a virus. ...or Hinata's hacking skills, it's your choice. Also, the cold weather made her ankle ache.

Michelle Salanga: Had to avoid Shaun all day. And failed a Physics paper.

"I didn't want you to mention that!" Michelle cries, eyes dry but tear streaks evident. (A/N: I will have my petty malice...)

Corey Smith: Couldn't help Michelle or Denise out that day, didn't have any job to do; in short, felt useless. Though the fact that he got Phil to distract Shaun the day before wasn't completely lost on him; Corey had meant to talk to Michelle about Shaun, but then he couldn't find her once school ended.

Denise Tomas: While playing hooky and riding around with Isaac on his motorcycle (that's what he wanted to show her), she had to ditch Isaac when the police showed up; it's one thing to get a ticket for speeding, another thing to be charged for kidnapping (her parents hadn't heard from her since Tuesday morning). Now she was getting serious heat from her parents.

Hinata White: Ended up getting most of the heat for Denise being away; she didn't do anything, but the Tomas' wanted someone to yell at, and she was there.

(A/N: There. Now there isn't a plot hole. However, there will be flamers. Mendokuse...)

That Friday...

Corey had planned on skipping school. He had wanted to stay home, and play random internet games all day. Then he remembered his promise to 'Inel-sensei' not to skip, and made himself get out of bed.

So...after the last bell...

"Frigging communist teacher...fucked up rules..." Corey muttered to himself has he stomped through the halls.

Muttering curses to himself, he didn't realise that he was scaring multiple grade nines. And tens. And a few elevens and twelves...and teachers.

"Watch out," one grade ten whispered to his younger sister, "They say he sells kidneys on the black market. Stolen student kidneys."

Shaun and Kyle were following very slowly behind the irate 16-year-old, keeping out of his way.

"I wonder if he's always like this on Fridays," Kyle thought out loud, "You'd think he'd be happy."

"I sincerely hope he isn't," Shaun said, as Corey went out of their sight, turning into the stairwell towards where their lockers were.

Michelle looked up, startled, when she heard loud footsteps; Shaun had a heavy tread when he wasn't stealth-walking. Kneeling on the floor, stuffing books into her backpack hurriedly, she relaxed when she saw Corey. Examining his face, she couldn't help but half-smile.

"Corey, you're so tense," Michelle teased gently, "Relax. It's the weekend now. And winter break! Yay!" she added, giving him two thumbs up.

"Communist fascist..." Corey muttered, leaning his forehead against his locker as he put the combination into his lock, "...You're tense too. And tired."

Michelle touched her face with a hand instinctively, then shook her head and shrugged it off.

"Whatever."

Corey opened his locker, then looked at Michelle. The black-haired girl already had her coat on, and was pulling her backpack on as she got up.

"Michelle."

She looked up as she heard her name; Corey looked her straight in the eye.

"Just talk to him."

Michelle looked down at the floor, abashed, then looked up quickly again at a sound. Corey turned around upon hearing loud footsteps, and saw Kyle and Shaun just exiting the stairwell. Turning back, Corey meant to stop Michelle, knowing she would run, but he was too late; he saw that Michelle was already gone.

Shaun didn't realise anything was amiss, but Kyle knew Michelle had just been there; he still had a good sense of smell, and he could tell that Michelle wasn't that far off, but she was moving away fast. The ex-dog-user looked at Corey, who raised an eyebrow. Kyle nodded, then turned to his locker. Their plan would soon be under way.

Uh-oh...Corey and Kyle have a plan...

Michelle half-smiled as she stepped onto her driveway. She'd managed to get onto the bus without Shaun, and had ridden home alone; half a good thing, half...not so good. Ascending her front steps, her half-smile became a small full one; Pauline was already waiting for her at the door.

"Hey," Michelle greeted, embracing her cousin, "Check it out! Your ankle's better! How'd you get here?"

"Your dad picked my mom andme up," Pauline shrugged, with a grin, leading Michelle into the house, "And my ankle's ok; I still have a small limp though. Guess what?"

"Chicken butt?" Michelle asked playfully, earning a friendly glare from her cousin.

"No," Pauline answered, mock annoyed, "We're going shopping later!"

"Oh. Yay," Michelle said, smile suddenly gone, "Um...who's _we_, again?"

Pauline sat on the couch as Michelle dropped her backpack and hung up her coat.

"My mom, me, you, Dragan, and your parents. Duh," Pauline rolled her eyes.

"Shopping. Fun."

Michelle perched herself on the couch arm, and Pauline poked her side.

"What? You know people scare me," Michelle said, looking at her cousin.

"Don't worry; me andDragan will protect you," Pauline grinned, "And we'll make sure you're not a third wheel or something. I promise. I'll even buy you ice cream!"

Michelle smelled something fishy there, but she decided to brush it off and agree.

_You can't make shopping any worse, right?_

Later that day, in the actual mall...

"I'm starting to hate you, Kyle," Shaun said in a very low voice, "Must you throw away our lifelong friendship like this?"

"So long as you don't hate Kiba, I'm fine," the ex-dog-user said with a careless grin, "And _Kyle_ has only known you for a week."

_Not to mention Kiba and I have only known each other since we started in the Academy,_ Shaun thought.

Shaun and Kyle were walking through the spacious city mall, seeing the sights and smells, and according to Shaun, simply wasting their first day into winter break. You see, though Kyle was a people person, Shaun was a loner type; he didn't like being around people if he could help it.

"I'm getting you ice cream," Kyle reminded, "See? I'm feeding you! I'm a good friend!"

"You also threatened me with bug spray," Shaun pointed out.

* * *

_"You're coming, and that's final!" Kyle yelled, weilding a newly bought aerosol can of OFF, "Don't make be press this button!"

* * *

_

"Did not," Kyle denied, looking shifty-eyed.

"And you're certainly not a good friend to Hinata," Shaun continued, "You left her with five dogs to babysit Nat."

"No, I left her with Nat to dogsit the pack," Kyle corrected.

Shaun glared at Kyle, but the dark brown-haired boy refused to turn his head and meet it.

"So that's better," Shaun said sarcastically.

"How's she going to get him to like her if she doesn't say anything to him at all?" Kyle argued.

"Congratulations, you've just traumatized her," Shaun said, mock clapping softly, "Your prize is you get to pay for her therapist."

"Could you relax?" Kyle asked, annoyed now, "Hinata will be fine. You're just being bitchy because Michelle's been avoiding you."

A nerve popped on Shaun's forehead, but instead of talking back, he kept walking. Kyle realised his mistake the moment the words were out of his mouth and froze. Shaun was a bit of a ways ahead before Kyle snapped out of it and caught up. There was silence for a moment, then Kyle spoke up.

"Hey," Kyle looked down, "Sorry. I didn't-"

"Can we get this over with?" Shaun asked, and Kyle decided to stop talking.

Over on the other side of the mall...

"Darn you and your shopping addictions," Michelle muttered to herself.

The black-haired girl was sitting on one of the benches in the city mall, bored out of...well, not completely out of her mind. Just enough for her to be agitated. Pauline and their mothers were in the clothing store she was sitting in front of, andsince her father and brother were browsing in a games shopinanotherpart of the mall, that left Michelle to carry the bags.

"'Come on, Michelle, it'll be fun!'" Michelle mimicked her cousin's voice, "'We'll go buy you those shoes you wanted!' Ugh...I wanted those shoes last summer! They're no use now! 'I'll show you this really cool store that sells anime stuff!' _What_ anime store? We've been here for three hours and you haven't shown me one! ...at least she's getting me ice cream."

Michelle adjusted her grip on the five plastic bags she already carried, and leaned back on the bench, trying to calm her bubbling temper.

"If she's lying about the ice cream too, I swear..."

Ice cream, eh?

The two boys walked uneasily for a while, before both decided to speak.

"...Should I-" Shaun started.

"...You know-" Kyle started at the same time.

Shaun lapsed into silence, and Kyle spoke.

"You know, you hurt her bad these last couple weeks," Kyle said quietly.

"I know," Shaun acknowledged, "I just...I thought I could end it myself. Without getting her involved."

"But you have to," Kyle said, "You're even one of those...anomaly...things."

"I know. But-"

"Shaun. Talk to her. That's all she wants."

And women say men don't talk...granted, they're not quite men, being only 16...

"Ok, Michelle, we can get ice cream now!" Pauline said cheerily.

Her older cousin tried not to glare; Pauline was half-worried that she would snap, now that their parents were elsewhere.

"Yay,"Michelle said in a dull tone.

"Oh, come on! It wasn't so bad," Pauline said in a calming tone. It didn't work.

"I know. Carrying bags and walking aimlessly through corridors is my life," Michelle said sarcastically.

Pauline rolled her eyes before continuing.

"So, what flavour do you want?"

"Chocolate. Always."

"Just plain chocolate?"

Pauline shook her head as they neared the mall's Baskin Robbins. Entering the store and glancing over the prices, she was glad that she didn't have to pay for Dragan too; the 12-year-old was still looking at games while their parents gossiped with each other.

"Well, there's no Pocky flavour," Michelle said with a small smile.

"Yosh," Pauline shrugged, and turned to the cashier.

The bell by the door of the store rang as Pauline was ordering, and Michelle instinctively looked to see who it was.

_Oh look, it's Kiba and Shino,_ Michelle thought calmly.

The 16-year-old looked back at Pauline for a second before it registered. Eyes widening, she looked towards the door again. The two boys were there; Shaun was already sitting at one of the tables, while Kyle was walking towards the girls.

"Pauline! Michelle!" Kyle greeted cheerily, "Fancy meeting you here!"

"Kyle!" Pauline exclaimed enthusiastically, rushing forwards to embrace her boyfriend.

_That was too enthusiastic...Pauline, what are you doing?_ Michelle thought.

_Crap..._Shaun stayed right where he was, examining the ice cream prices and not looking towards the others.

A moment or two passed, Pauline and Kyle talking animatedly while Michelle and Shaun avoided looking at each other.

_I just might hate you now, Kiba,_ Shaun thought.

Michelle was watching Shaun in the corner of her eye; she saw his arms go tense and his jaw tighten.

_He's angry...he really doesn't want me around. I should leave,_ Michelle thought sadly.

"I...have...to go," Michelle squeaked, and quickly slipped past Shaun and out of the ice cream shop.

"_Michelle_," Pauline said, starting to go after her cousin.

"It's ok, I've got her covered," Kyle whispered to her, but not low enough that Shaun didn't hear.

"What are you two doing, Kyle? Pauline?" Shaun asked in a very irritated tone.

"You should know," Kyle said sternly.

"It's _your_ fault she's been depressed, anyways," Pauline added defiantly.

"Have either of you taken Michelle's feelings into account with what you're doing?" Shaun asked.

"You should talk!" Pauline exclaimed.

"...at least I'm trying to think things through. With the _least_ amount of damage. Was this really the kindest way to handle things?"

"Shaun, we've been over this," Kyle glared, "This was the only way we could think of. So talk to her already."

But Pauline stayed silent.

_Maybe this wasn't the best idea after all,_ she thought.

(insert something witty here)

Michelle rushed through the mall, very glad that she had left the bags with her parents; now she could run better. Not really caring where she would end up, she entered a crowded part of the mall and accidentally bumped into someone. The person she had literally run into took most of her force, but Michelle was the one that ended up falling to the floor.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry!" Michelle stammered, picking herself up from the floor.

"It's no problem. Relax, Michelle."

The tan-skinned girl looked up in surprise. Corey and Isaac were in front of her; she had bumped into Corey.

"Whoa! Um...hey," Michelle waved, still in shock, "I...wow. Sorry. Wow, it's you two."

"Yes it is," Corey nodded, with a wry smile, "Where are you going?"

"_That_ way," Michelle pointed vaguely in the direction the boys had come from, "What're you doing here?"

Isaac rolled his eyes, bored, and Corey shrugged.

"Wasting time. You?"

"Feeling life dribble away," she answered.

"Yeah, I thought you hated shopping," Corey said.

"I do, but Pauline made me come. And..." Michelle hesitated.

"You bumped into Shaun, didn't you?" Corey asked.

Michelle nodded, glancing back.

"And you ran," Corey added, and again Michelle nodded.

"Listen, Pauline's probably going to run after me, so I have to go," Michelle said, already jogging down the hall, "I'll see you guys later," she added, with a wave.

"...You were supposed to stop her," Isaac said, when she was gone.

"So were you," Corey pointed out.

Isaac looked at Michelle's disappearing figure, then turned and saw Kyle in the distance, frowning.

"...It's really none of our business," Isaac said, continuing to walk through the mall.

Corey followed quietly; both knew that stopping Michelle wouldn't have been the best thing to do.

* * *

A/N: And that's how their winter break started! 

Michelle: (runs by frantically) GET ME OUT OF THIS MALL!

A/N: Uh...please review!


	14. Dec 24 to 25: Merry Christmas?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, the noise 'gn', over 300 days to spend in Konoha, fully functioning window blinds, honey and peanut butter sandwiches (mm...), or a beech tree.

* * *

Michelle woke up late that Saturday; glancing at her digital clock, it was just before noon.

"Gn...should eat," she mumbled, dragging herself out of bed.

_On the bright side, there's no school,_ she thought, _No classes, no physical exertion for today...and no Shino..._

Michelle pulled back her curtains and looked out the window; Shaun's backyard looked untouched.

_Either he's not up yet, or he just didn't go outside,_ Michelle thought, then shook her head, _Whatever. Don't think about him. You don't need him, remember? He doesn't like you._

Looking down, Michelle saw Pauline had already awakened; her sleeping bag on the floor was empty.

_Just a couple more days until we head back to Konoha. And I can focus on Konoha now; I'll have over 300 days to spend there! That's right, Michelle, look on the bright side._

(singing) Always look on the briiight side...(stops singing) where have I heard that songe before?

Shaun saw movement coming from the neighbouring house; his room had a window that was facing Michelle's house. It wasn't directly in front of it, but at a certain angle, if he tried hard enough, he could see Michelle's room.

_Michelle's up,_ Shaun thought, seeing Michelle at her window, then quickly turned away and shut his blinds, _What are you doing! Do you _want_ the kikai to act up?_

The boy winced as a few bugs writhed, despite his efforts to calm them.

_Crap...I hate this..._

Huh...good job, Shino...

Denise and Hinata were talking to Pauline, Kyle and Nat on the internet; Nat had a laptop, so he didn't need to share the computer with his roommate, but Denise and Hinata only had one computer, so Denise typed in capitals while Hinata typed only in small letters.

_So we all get to skip school on monday to get back to konoha_ typed 'Ramen-boy', a.k.a, Naruto.

- 'Ramen-boy'

_YEA,_ typed Denise.

_Hinata, ur agreeing to this? _typed 'Alpha of the pack', or Kiba.

_denii-chan said that her teacher would handle the attendance records for us,_ typed Hinata.

_Hey, michii's awake! _typed 'Paulineee )', _she says 'hi'!_

_hey, Michelle!_ - 'Alpha of the pack'

_YO, MICHELLE! HINATA SAYS HI TOO - _Denise

_...ya, she says hi back,_ - 'Paulineee )'

Pauline turned around in her chair and grinned at her cousin. Pauline was at the computer, which was in the room neighbouring the kitchen that Michelle was in.

"Nat is _so_ excited to skip school," Pauline said.

"It figures," Michelle chuckled, spreading peanut butter on some toast.

"Hey...I thought you'd get the chocolate stuff," Pauline said, looking at the breakfast Michelle was making.

"I will," Michelle nodded, spreading honey on another slice and making a sandwich.

"Then why-" Pauline started, but she was interrupted.

"G'morning Dragan," Michelle said, not looking up from cutting the crust off of the sandwich.

Pauline looked behind Michelle and saw her younger cousin walk into the kitchen sleepy-eyed.

"Hey, Dragan. You just got up?" Pauline asked.

"Yeah," Dragan said groggily.

"Here."

Michelle handed Dragan the sandwich on a plate before turning back to the toaster to make her own brunch.

"Thanks, Até (1)," Dragan mumbled gratefully, sitting at the table and biting into his food.

Pauline turned back to the computer, shaking her head.

"You didn't hear him wake up, did you?" Michelle grinned, pulling a chair beside the computer with her own food.

Pauline helped herself to half of Michelle's sandwich with a smile.

"You read my mind, cuz."

Michelle chuckled.

"I love Saturdays. This weekend's going to be great; we even get to visit the rest of the family since it's Christmas Eve!"

"I know!" Pauline grinned excitedly, "I hope Joe and Ivy still like Naruto! Guess what I bought..."

And skipping to the next day...

"Shino, why are we here?"

That Sunday, Kiba, Hinata, Naruto, Itachi, the dogs, and Shino all stood around the tree that they had walked out of six days ago. Shino had been facing the tree most of that afternoon, waiting for the rest to arrive; he turned around when Kiba had asked the question.

"We don't know how to get back," Shino answered, "I wanted to see if the tree will take us back."

"And...?" Kiba prompted.

"Hurry up; it's cold!" Naruto added, doing a shivering dance as he spoke.

"I tried it," Shino looked straight at Itachi, "It didn't work."

"...So now you want all of us to try at the same time," Itachi realized, "Perhaps all of us together will make it work."

"Exactly," Shino nodded.

"That's why you told Kiba-kun to bring the dogs," Hinata added.

Again Shino nodded, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Well, let's go then!" he said, walking straight for the tree, "I have a TV show to wa-"

_WHAM!_

"Ouch," Kiba said sympathetically as he and his team winced.

"Shit..." Naruto whispered, falling to the ground, a big lump forming on his forehead.

"That didn't work either," Itachi said airily, "They told you how they ended up leaving _our_ world, right?"

"...no..." Kiba answered, and they all turned to face Itachi.

"How?" Shino asked.

"...They..." Hinata's eyes widened. She knew.

"How, Hina-...oh..." Shino suddenly understood.

"No way," Kiba protested, but Itachi nodded.

"What are you all thinking?" Naruto exclaimed, sitting up and rubbing his forehead.

"They all needed to...die, as it were," Itachi answered.

"WHAT!" Naruto yelled.

Itachi closed his eyes and acted as if it were the simplest thing.

"Deniizu told me that whenever they needed to come back to this world, she, Michiko, and Pooriin jumped off of trees, their balconies, cliffs...anything that would suffice as a high enough drop for death," Itachi explained, "But instead of dying, they ended up back here. I think that it's the similar for us; we must 'die' in order to arrive back in Konoha."

"But we have to be careful," Shino said, "We can't have any witnesses. Otherwise, time here may end up moving at the same pace as at home, which we don't want."

"So jumping in front of a car isn't the best idea," Kiba said, thinking out loud, "Balconies would be good if there weren't so many neighbours...the trees around here are pretty small or too hard to climb..."

"There's a park with tall, climb-able trees a few blocks away," Hinata volunteered suddenly, "And the houses nearby are screened by other trees. How about there?"

"That works," Kiba nodded, "Should we test it now?"

"May as well," Itachi said, "Show us the way, Hinata."

Note: this only works if you are a portal-user, and you are not in your home dimension. Do **_NOT_** try this at home. Thank you.

All five of the ex-ninja's looked up at the tree they had chosen. None of them had started climbing yet.

"...Who wants to go first?" Kiba asked in a nervous voice.

"No gives," Naruto said quickly, raising a hand.

"Not a chance," Shino said.

"N-no," Hinata said quickly, playing with her fingers.

Kiba looked at Itachi, who merely glared back. Kiba sighed and shrugged.

"Fine. I'll go," he said, and began his ascent.

"B-be careful," Hinata called, as Kiba reached his third branch.

"Don't distract me," Kiba returned, as he pulled himself up.

"Not that branch, Kiba," Itachi suddenly said, "The one above it."

Kiba looked up and blinked.

"That's so high!" he called down.

"It's also the closest one that will support you," Itachi explained.

Kiba looked at the branch again, then struggled to do as he was told.

"Um...thanks, I guess," Kiba called down, as he managed to get onto the high branch.

"That's high enough, Kiba," Shino finally said.

"You sure?" Kiba asked, looking straight down, "Oh _crap!_" he looked straight forward from where he sat, "Yeah, ok. This is good. _Very _good. So do I just...you know..."

"Yeah," Naruto said, looking a little green, "You just fall."

"Please work," Hinata whispered to herself, shutting her eyes tight.

_If it doesn't work..._Shino shook the thought off, _This has to work._

"Do it, Inuzuka," Itachi ordered.

_Here goes nothing,_ Kiba thought, and closing his eyes, he let himself fall backwards.

Naruto and Itachi stared as Kiba fell through the air, Naruto as one transfixed, Itachi as one merely watching a leaf float to the ground. Shino watched as his best friend left the branch, then he looked away; even if it worked, he didn't want to see it happening.

Five seconds...six...

"Shino. Hinata."

Itachi's voice broke the silence.

"Both of you. Look."

Hinata opened her eyes reluctantly, and Shino finally turned his gaze to the tree. The beech was empty; Kiba was no-where to be found.

"It worked," Hinata breathed, and Shino felt as if a huge burden was lifted from him.

"All right!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping and punching a fist into the air, "We can get home! So let's get back to our apartment and-"

"There's one more thing," Itachi interrupted.

The three ex-genins turned to look at him; Itachi looked at each of them in turn as he spoke.

"There's one more thing I wanted to explain," Itachi continued, looking at Hinata.

Hinata quickly looked away; there was something in his eyes she didn't like.

"Deniizu and her friends have only chosen...suicidal means to leave Konoha. Michiko once got desparate and stabbed herself; that still managed to get her back into this world," Itachi said, now looking at Shino.

_She stabbed herself? What caused her to do that?_ Shino thought, surprised.

"I think that to stay on the safe side, we shouldn't kill each other," Itachi continued, closing his eyes and putting his hands into his coat pockets.

"Um...ok," Naruto nodded unsurely.

_This guy is full of surprises,_ Shino thought, _He can be...nice...

* * *

_

A/N: (1) Just think of 'Até' as the Philippino version of 'aniki' for girls.

Kyle: Hey, Shaun!

Shaun: (raises eyebrow)

Kyle: What do you call the male offspring of the tree I climbed?

Shaun: ...

Kyle: C'mon, guess.

Shaun: ...I don't care...?

Kyle: No, it's a son of a beech! Get it? (starts laughing really loud)

Shaun: ...

Kyle: (slowly stops laughing) Oh, forget it.

A/N: Um...yeah, that was random. Please review!


	15. Day 38: Deniizu's bloodline limit

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, Monday mornings (if I did, would we have any?), a huge bonsai-like tree, the term 'treehugger', those looks that you give your friend when they did something none too smart, I probably don't own this memory room theory, and that crazy teleporting-like skill.

* * *

"Michelle, get up!"

The dark-skinned girl winced and rolled over so that she was facedown, eyes squeezed shut. You can tell that she hated Monday mornings.

"Michelle!"

Pauline shook her cousin's shoulder again. Michelle stayed with her face buried in her sheets.

"Michelle, you're going to be late!"

"Late for what? School?" Michelle huffed, "It's winter break! Are my parents or brother even home?"

Pauline thought about that for a moment before shaking Michelle by the shoulder again.

"You should eat breakfast at least."

Michelle rolled off of her bed, landing face up on the floor by Pauline's feet.

"Breakfast," Michelle stated, opening her eyes, "Now that is an idea."

Pauline shook her head as her cousin got up and ready for the day.

"You are so weird."

"Whatever."

Michelle grabbed the TV remote from a table in the hallway, and flicked on the living room TV as she passed it.

"What's the weather like for today?" Michelle thought out loud, entering the kitchen.

**_...really cold today,_ **the TV announcer said at that moment.

"...That works," Pauline said, scratching her head.

"Get your stuff ready, Pauline," Michelle said, turning off the TV and putting the remote back into its place, "We're dropping by Denise's house before our...long winter holiday."

"Right, we're going to Konoha for...how many days is it again?" Pauline asked, pulling on her boots.

"340 days!" Michelle grinned, shoving her feet into her boots, "But right now we have to check on Denise."

"I know. I'll call Denise so she'll wait for us," Pauline said, walking to the phone.

A couple hours later...(you don't really want to read about a bus and subway ride, do you?)

Pauline and Team 13 finally entered their greenhouse, all excited to go back to Konoha.

"I missed you," Michelle cooed, hugging the bonsai-like tree in the center, "I didn't get to see you for a whole week!"

"Hello, Mr. Tree," Pauline said, forming a group hug.

"Damn treehuggers," Corey muttered, but with a smile.

"So what are we waiting for?" Ionel asked, "Let us go! Now!"

"Hai, sensei," Denise saluted, and marched back to the doors.

"Wait!" Michelle reached a hand towards the rest of the group, willing them to stop.

"What?" Corey asked, his hand already on the door.

"What do we say to Hokage-sama?" Michelle asked, "We've been away for four days! And Pauline! What does she say to her parents?"

"Oh crap," Denise put a hand on her forehead, thinking.

"That's a good question," Corey nodded, also trying to think of an answer.

"Survival mission," Ionel said simply.

"...heh?" his team looked at him strangely.

"We were on the survival mission, to grow together as team," the music teacher shrugged, "Is simple; easy to remember."

"And you didn't tell the Hokage?" Denise raised an eyebrow.

"I did it all the time when I was in genin level," Ionel explained, "Disappearing and come back was common for me. Sandaime Hokage will understand."

"What about me?" Pauline asked, waving a hand for attention.

"...You got lost? Like usual?" Michelle offered, giving her a look.

"Oh right! Right...stop giving me those looks!" Pauline exclaimed, leaving her cousin's side and heading for the door.

"Ok, we're set! First stop is the Hokage's office, though," Michelle reminded.

"Yes, mom," Pauline said over her shoulder, pushing the greenhouse door open.

Ionel smiled at Michelle as she crossed her arms, annoyed.

"None of that, Michelle, now we go," he said, motioning towards the door.

Denise and Corey let Ionel pass them before turning to Michelle. With a grin she joined them, and they re-entered Konoha together.

Whoo, they're going back! I missed Konoha, didn't you?

Hinata stumbled unsurely as she found herself in that pond place again. Kiba was there, Akamaru and the dogs ran to join him.

"Hey, Kiba, what's it like being dead?" Naruto asked, grinning at Kiba.

"Shut up," Kiba rolled his eyes, "You 'died' just now, too."

"I never thought I'd hear a conversation like this," Hinata whispered to Shino.

"Let's go," Itachi said in a rough voice.

The missing-nin had been already walking towards the 'doorway'. Now he stopped, about to step through.

"You all had better forget everything that happened out there," he ordered menacingly, and then he left the portal.

The four genins shared looks before following him out of the portal.

Isaac has gone; he is Itachi again.

The second day back, while Michiko was learning about healing jutsus with Inel and Korii was working, Deniizu found Itachi in the clearing where they had first met, just over a month ago in this world. Itachi had a small smile on his face when he saw her; he always did. Deniizu often asked him why, but he didn't know himself; it was like he couldn't help it. Deniizu smiled back and linked arms with him.

_You're nostalgic and romantic today, _Deniizu thought into his head, _What's gotten into you?_

_You must be my problem, _Itachi thought, _You're making me soft, Deniizu._

_You're thinking about how we first met, _Deniizu thought, then to herself, _What did you think of me then?_

Suddenly, Deniizu found herself in the dark. Not literally; she hadn't entered some black hole, and she could see with her eyes that she was still in the clearing. But mentally, everything was dark.

_What's going on? _she thought.

Her 'eyes' began to adjust; Deniizu saw that she was in the middle of a large, round room. Many doors surrounded her; one door looked like it belonged to a nursery, another seemed to be from a weapons' storage room, another one was bolted and locked tight...there were so many doors, and all of them different.

_Deniizu, what's wrong? _Itachi thought.

Deniizu looked around wildly; his voice didn't seem to have a source in this strange, dark place. But she could hear it...

_I think...I'm not sure, but I think my mind is right inside yours,_ Deniizu answered.

_But I can see you right here. You look like you're in a trance; your eyes are unfocused._

Deniizu carefully opened one of the doors, one that was decorated so expensively it looked like it should be part of a castle. Stepping inside slowly, she saw a black room with different glass balls floating in it, each with a coloured light emanating from itself.

_Deniizu, are you all right?_ Itachi asked.

_Just wait...I'm learning something about my bloodline limit._

Walking up to one glass ball and looking inside, she saw a young Sasuke. Somehow she knew he was trying to perform a stunt that Itachi had done a moment earlier. Somehow she knew she was looking at things through Itachi's eyes.

_Your memories,_ Deniizu thought to Itachi, _I'm looking at your memories._

_Can you get out?_ Itachi asked.

_I'll try._

Deniizu left the room, closing its ornate door securely, and stood in the center of the round room, as she had been a moment earlier. Now how to leave? Deniizu felt like she had been 'making' herself stay. She could feel her chakra ebbing away, and she knew that it was because it took chakra to stay in the memory room.

_So if I just let go..._

Deniizu blinked and shaded her eyes. She was back in her own body, and the sun was shining on her face again.

"That's kinda cool," Deniizu said out loud, "It's bright out here."

Deniizu explained what she had just seen to Itachi; the missing-nin listened carefully, nodding at certain points, and stayed silent for a moment after she finished.

"What are you thinking about?" Deniizu asked, seeing the look on his face.

"Do you think you can..._hide_ memories? Even if temporarily?" Itachi asked.

"I can try. ...Why?" Deniizu asked.

"...We have to find Naruto."

By the ramen stall a few minutes later...

"I love ramen!" Naruto exclaimed, walking out of the ramen stall and patting his full stomach contentedly.

Suddenly, two blurs ran out and tackled him; one gagging and blindfolding him while the other was carrying him away. Naruto struggled, but he couldn't break free.

_The hell is going on?_ he thought, still thrashing his arms and legs around randomly to escape, _Why is it always me?_

Soon, Naruto was dropped onto the ground somewhere quiet; they didn't remove the blindfold. Naruto felt his hands being tied, and somehow was unable to move his own body to fight back.

_What's going on?_

Itachi nudged Deniizu with an elbow, thinking, _Do it._

Deniizu entered Naruto's current thoughts (_At least I had a good ramen meal before I died...)_, then went deeper in his mind, looking for his 'memory room'. She found herself in another black, round room, similar to Itachi's but with slightly different doors.

_Ok...Naruto would find Isaac to be a 'really funny', 'strange', or 'simply as a distant friend' memory. Time to figure out which door means what...this shouldn't take _too_ long..._

Approximately three hours later...

_Found it!_

Deniizu found Naruto's memory of Itachi in the room with the door formed like a giant picture frame.

_I guess this room is for people that Naruto meets...some of the crystal balls are dimmer than others...Ebisu's in a dim one...Sakura's hurts to look at...Where's Hinata? ...Here she is...she's fading a little...Dammit, Naruto, notice Hinata already! Well, I found Isaac. He has a separate ball than Itachi...Naruto's almost completely forgotten about Itachi. Isaac, however, is fresh in his memory. Now to hide it..._

Deniizu took the crystal, and carried it to the room's corner, away from the rest of the balls. Then, she mentally created a dark mist to surround the crystal, obscuring it.

_This memory isn't all that important, Naruto...You can forget it while you're here in your world._

Deniizu knew instinctively that this was the right way to do this task; she soon went back to the central room and retreated out of Naruto's mind.

_Is it done?_ Itachi thought, looking at Deniizu piercingly.

_Completely,_ Deniizu confirmed.

Itachi nodded, and swiftly knocked Naruto out with a blow to the base of his neck; the fox-demon carrier promptly flopped over, senseless. Deniizu used her bloodline limit to take off the ropes on Naruto's hands, and the gag, and the blindfold.

"Finished," Deniizu said quietly, dropping the restraints beside Naruto, instead of taking them with her.

"Thank you," Itachi said gratefully, looking at the boy on the ground, "Now I have nothing to worry about. The others won't talk, but Naruto might let something slip; intentional or no."

"Ok..."

Itachi turned to Deniizu sharply; her voice had been faint.

"Deniizu, what's wrong?"

"Used...too much chakra..."

Deniizu collapsed and Itachi managed to catch her.

"Of course...you haven't mastered your talent yet," Itachi murmured, adjusting his hold and vanishing them both into a puff of smoke.

The two ninjas reappeared on the girls' balcony; Itachi carried Deniizu inside and placed her gently on her sleeping mat.

"You told me you used to faint after simply reading people's thoughts," Itachi whispered to her sleeping form, gently stroking her cheek, "Rest well. Master this new gift and become strong."

With that, Itachi let himself disappear; he was gone.

* * *

A/N: So you see, Itachi can still be nice; you just have to be Deniizu in order to see it.

Michiko: WE'RE GONNA DIE! THE STORY IS ALMOST OVER!

A/N: Whoa, Michiko, relax...

Michiko: DEATH IS COMING! THE END IS NEAR!

Korii: Oh god...Michiko, shut up!

A/N: Um...

Michiko: SOON, WE'LL BE GONE! NEVER TO BE SEEN AGA-

Korii: (knocks Michiko out, carries her out of the room)

A/N: I guess now would be too late to say that there's a sequel in the works? Oh well...review, please!


	16. Day 40: Solving the kikaichu problem

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, treeclimbing training, crazy healing jutsu of anti-doom, this kikaichu/puberty/pain theory, or the natural art of interrupting people at awkward moments. (coughPooriincough)

A/N: The final chapter...Chuni Luni, this one's for you and your on-going question! ...I'm so sad...this is the last chapter...

* * *

Sunlight streamed in through the girls' apartment window; Deniizu woke up when she felt light fall on her eyelids. She sat up rubbing her eyes, wondering why Michiko didn't wake her up earlier.

_It's good to be back,_ Deniizu thought, stretching her arms above her head.

Turning, she saw that Michiko had already made her bed, and taken her dog team with her somewhere.

"Hey, Porthos," Deniizu said, petting the mottled puppy, "Morning, Athos. Where's Michiko?"

For an answer, the brown dog raised his head high to reveal a scroll that was tied around his neck. Deniizu removed and unrolled the message, reading it silently.

'Hey. Sorry I didn't wake you up, but you looked like you needed some rest from that training yesterday.'

Deniizu stopped reading and smiled to herself, remembering the day before; it had been treeclimbing training.

"It was just our third day back, and Inel-sensei's already training us hard," the green-eyed girl mused, turning back to her scroll.

'Someone knocked at the door about an hour after dawn. When I opened it though, no-one was there; just a note. Shino wants to meet me at the training field at about 8 o'clock. If you're reading this, I'm already in the field. I'll see you later.'-Michiko

Deniizu glared at the scroll for a second; she wasn't altogether pleased that Shino had kept avoiding Michiko. Looking at the clock, Deniizu saw that it was just after 8:30.

_But maybe he's going to solve it now,_ Deniizu thought, giving the dogs one more pat before getting up, _He'd better..._

Don't hurt Deniizu's friends, or Deniizu will hurt you, if her friends already haven't. ...ok, somehow that was meant to be more dramatic...

Michiko had gotten to the field right on time, with D'Artagnan and Aramis close behind her. Shino was already there, kneeling in the middle of 'their' side of the field. He had looked up when she arrived, then down again as she walked towards him. The clearing was silent except for the wind; Michiko felt a little awkward as she sat down crosslegged in front of Shino.

"...I'm here," Michiko said, after a moment.

"Yeah," Shino said, looking at the ground in front of him, "...Thanks."

Michiko looked at her dog team; they were standing warily, wondering what Shino wanted. With a hand motion, she signalled for them to be at ease; the grey and black pups sat down obediently.

"What...um..." Michiko tugged on a forelock, choosing her words, "Why did you want to see me?"

"I, um..."

Shino looked Michiko straight in the eye. Or tried to.

"The thing is, with, um..."

Michiko saw him wince and raised a hand to help him, but he edged away.

"Shino, what's been hurting you?" Michiko asked.

"Trust me, that's why you're here. It, uh...how can I explain?"

Shino looked away from Michiko, but she could still see the corners of his eyes tighten.

"Shino, what is it?" Michiko asked, moving forward.

"Stop saying my name!" Shino snapped, glaring at Michiko, then shook his head when he saw her hurt look, "Sorry, sorry! I didn't- ugh!"

The genin curled up, trying to stop the pain on his own.

"Kamisama...!"

"Shi- um..." Michiko activated her healing jutsu, trying to think of a way to help, "Where does it hurt?"

Shino didn't answer; he was suddenly lying down on the ground, again in excruciating pain.

_This is just like during that picnic,_ both thought at the same time.

"I'm helping you whether or not you let me," Michiko said determinedly, already with her hands hovering over his body.

_Inel-sama helped me learn this a couple days ago,_ Michiko thought, carefully controlling her chakra, _I can use this to 'see' the inside of people, to find things that have been embedded in the flesh, or poisons. I'll try to use this to find out what's affecting Shino...the kikaichu are reacting to something in his bloodstream..._Michiko closed her eyes, concentrating, _Is it a poison? But Shino's antibodies aren't reacting at all...ok, where are these things coming from...follow the trail to the source..._Michiko's hands moved, hovering a few inches above Shino's body, _Here! ...But what is this? Shino's making the toxin...things. What are they?_

Michiko opened her eyes, and realized where her hands were hovering over.

"Whaaaat?" Michiko exclaimed, jumping back about six feet.

"Now do you understand?" Shino asked, struggling to sit up.

"Not reallly!" Michiko said, "I'm so confused..._The kikaichu react to testosterone_?"

"Considering that I never _created_ any testosterone as a kid, it makes sense that they think the hormones are foreign," Shino explained.

Michiko merely stared at Shino, stunned.

"...that's why I've been avoiding you," Shino sighed, looking away.

Michiko blinked, and D'Artagnan nudged her elbow, trying to get her to show some life.

"I don't know whether to feel flattered or grossed out. Or just confused. Or all of the above," Michiko added after a moment, "Hey...how are you sitting up now?"

"Well, jumping backwards and screaming 'What?' at the top of your lungs is a bit of a turn-off," Shino answered wryly.

That being said, Shino still couldn't quite sit up, and after a moment's hesitation, Michiko helped him up, and let him lean back with her as a support.

"This is probably going to be really strange sounding, but the pain's getting worse, and now you know why," Shino said quietly.

Michiko frowned, then asked, "So why did you ask me to come here?"

Shino took a deep breath, then explained.

"Every Aburame goes through this phase when they hit puberty; usually it wears off over time. The host merely has to wait for his or her destruction beetles to adjust. But there are anomalies. Some hosts only get these...reactions when around one certain person."

_It's usually an omen, but you don't need to know that,_ Shino thought.

"When only one person causes the reactions, the host's kikaichu can't adjust. The beetles end up believing that that one person is an enemy, which isn't true. Quite the opposite."

"...You tried handling everything on your own, didn't you?" Michiko asked.

"...Yeah."

"Why?"

Shino decided to continue his explanation instead of answer directly.

"There are only two choices for the anomaly. One is that he or she must remove the person from his or her life."

Shino looked straight at Michiko as he spoke.

"I can't do that. You're too important to me for that," he said in a soft voice.

Michiko felt blood rush to her face; her heart rate was going up.

_Darnit, Shino, we're 12!_

Trying to cover up her blush, she asked what the other choice was.

"It's...the person...a sacrifice has to be made, in a way," Shino answered, completely serious.

"What do you mean?" Michiko asked, feeling her blush go down, but her heart rate quicken.

Shino pushed away from Michiko and knelt in front of her like before; he pulled out a kunai and embedded its tip into the ground between them.

"The kikaichu trust only those who have the patience to harbor bugs in their bodies. Other beetle-users."

Michiko felt her insides twist; she understood now.

"You want me to put kikaichu into my chakra highway...and let them live there," Michiko said slowly.

"They don't have to stay. They just need to taste your chakra," Shino said, staring at the kunai, "But sometimes complications-"

Shino stopped talking when Michiko deliberately took the kunai out of the ground.

"...They eat a small part of my chakra, right? Not all of it?" Michiko asked, turning her hand into fire and sterilizing the kunai.

"Yes," Shino nodded, "You don't have to, though! It's very painful, and you'll have a permanent scar. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Michiko looked at the kunai again, then raised it with her left arm, so that the point was towards her upper right arm.

"Are there any risks? Even if they stay in me for a little while?" she whispered.

"Yes," Shino answered, suddenly feeling sick, "You may lose your eyes; that happens to some people. The bugs may not...like you very much."

"...But you'll be better?" Michiko asked, "You'll talk to me again?"

"Yes, only..."

Shino quickly grabbed the handle of the kunai, so that Michiko couldn't move it yet.

"I don't want it to be that you're only doing this because I'm telling you to," he said, all too aware of how close he was to her, "I want you to do this of your own free will."

"I know," Michiko said, with a half-smile, placing her free hand on the side of his face, "I want to."

Shino saw she was serious and let go of the knife. Michiko took a quick breath, then pushed the knife into her right arm as fast as she could. Shino quickly called four bugs out, two male and two female, two were old and two were young, and told them to enter Michiko's chakra highway through the wound. Michiko felt the bugs enter her arm; it was a strange sensation, feeling something crawl inside of you.

_"Is this the one that disturbs our host?" _a female beetle asked.

Somehow Michiko could tell which bug was which, without looking.

_"Um...yes, it is,"_ Michiko said back, _"It's a pleasure to meet you."_

_"So polite," _the other female said, seeming to laugh.

_"The old host was right," _one male said, _"She truly is no enemy."_

_"Her chakra is sweet,"_ the other male said.

_"She is a good host,"_ the second female said.

Michiko felt dizzy suddenly; she felt herself falling back, then Shino catching her.

"Michiko, you have to heal you arm; you're losing a lot of blood," Shino said, seemingly far away.

_"What's happening?"_ the second male asked.

_"The way I had to let you in...I hurt myself,"_ Michiko explained.

_"Our deepest apologies,"_ the first female said, "_We needed to know you are safe."_

"_It's no problem,"_ Michiko said graciously.

Dropping the kunai, she raised her left arm and healed her wound. Shino was still holding her; he looked worried.

"I'm ok," Michiko said reassuringly, "Has your pain left you yet?"

"No. The bugs need to talk to the rest of mine, and then the pain will start to go away," Shino answered.

"Then don't hold me," Michiko said, pushing Shino away about three feet.

Shino looked at her in surprise.

"You can't possibly be trying to help me, even now," he said, "Think about yourself for a second."

"Part of the reason why I'm doing this is to help you anyways," Michelle said, rolling her eyes, then suddenly wincing, "What is this?"

Michiko held her right arm; suddenly it was throbbing.

_"What's going on?"_ Michiko asked the bugs.

_"We're making a way out,"_ the bugs answered.

Michiko felt tears stinging her eyes; of course the bugs had to burrow out. It just burned really, really badly while they were doing so. Throughout her entire arm. Shino moved forward and took her hand.

"They really _do_ tunnel out, don't they?" Michiko asked in a strained voice, thinking, _They're digging though the flesh in my _arm

Unintentionally, Michelle whimpered as she squeezed her eyes shut and gritted their teeth. D'Artagnan and Aramis pawed at her arms, wanting to help.

_It hurts!_ she mentally screamed.

Shino called out more of his own bugs and they crawled out from under his sleeve.

"I can help you," Shino said, "It will hurt more, but it will be faster."

"...Ok," Michiko nodded after a moment.

Shino told his bugs to dig into Michiko's skin, in order to meet her own bugs halfway. They did so; Michiko gritted her teeth together, trying not to cry out. She gripped Shino's hand hard; her nails were unintentionally digging into his skin.

"Just half a minute more," Shino said, watching the bugs dig, "It'll be over soon."

"Just an eternity more!" Michiko said sarcastically, "Hahaha...ow..." Michiko winced as the last bit of flesh was dug through, "...They're do that often, don't they? You go through this all the time?"

"Yeah," Shino said, as his kikaichu and Michiko's conversed.

Both genins watched as Shino's kikaichu retreated back into his sleeve; Shino could feel the bugs enter him and the pain ebb away as the kikaichu spread the word that Michiko wasn't dangerous.

_Well, she is, but not that way,_ Shino thought, massaging Michiko's wrist.

"Why isn't it bleeding?" Michiko asked, looking at the little hole in her right wrist.

"The kikaichu have a minor healing attribute in their saliva," Shino explained, "As they dig, the flesh around the opening immediately heals. It also makes the digging hurt more, but it's clean."

"I see..."

Shino continued to gently massage Michiko's wrist, trying to find words to say.

"You're going to have that hole forever," Shino said quietly, "If they lived in you, they would make a moveable cover for it, but since they don't...I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"It's okay," Michiko said softly, healing the little cuts that her nails had made in Shino's hand.

Shino looked at Michiko, and she smiled reassuringly. Suddenly he was very glad that he could look straight at her again.

But of course, all good things must come to an end. Neither heard someone crashing through the trees; Pooriin ran into the clearing.

"Michiko! Hokage-sama is looking for your team...oh..."

Pauline stopped talking when she saw what she was interrupting.

"I'm sorry," Pauline blushed, "But you need to go to his office right away!"

"It's no problem," Michiko grinned as Shino helped her up.

Just another day in Konoha.

* * *

A/N: (sniff) And there is the end of "Portal: Transitions". I'm so sad...

Korii: (smacks Esperwen upside) Dude, you're writing a sequel.

A/N: Ah, true that, true that...

Michiko: Check it out! There's a hole in my wrist!

Korii: (stares)

Michiko: ...(turns to reader) Ok, _why_ do you read these things? Just review!


	17. Head's up!

Deniizu: You should've put this up a while ago.

Esperwen: I know, I know. I just remembered to add this 'heads-up' chapter now.

Michiko: Well, hurry up! I want to read more of the third Portal.

Pooriin: Hey, the readers are here!

Inel: (waves)

Korii: ...Ok, since no-one else is speaking, _I'll_ tell the readers. (faces reader) Listen up: the third Portal has opened. In English, it means that Nuke and Esperwen have posted the sequel to this fanfic. It's title is "Portal: First Mission", and you can find it under 'Humor/general', and with Shino and Itachi as main characters.

Esperwen: So please! Read it and review!


End file.
